The artwork titled “L’Estaque under Snow” is a landscape painting by artist Paul Cezanne, completed in the year 1870. It is an oil on canvas work measuring 73 cm by 92 cm. Despite the attribution to the Romanticism art movement in the provided information, it is essential to note that Cezanne’s work is more commonly associated with Post-Impressionism, a movement that evolved as a reaction against Impressionists’ concern for the naturalistic depiction of light and color. This particular painting represents a landscape genre.
“L’Estaque under Snow” portrays a vista of the French village L’Estaque, captured beneath a blanket of snow. Cezanne’s brushwork gives texture to the scene, where the earthy tones of the houses with their red-tiled roofs contrast against the muted, cool palette of the snowy landscape. The composition is dynamic, with the curving lines of the terrain and the slanted trees creating a sense of movement. Dark, rounded trees punctuate the forefront of the artwork, leading the eye across the rolling hills towards the buildings nestled in the central part of the painting. The sky, rendered in dark hues, enhances the overall impression of a cold, wintry day. Cezanne’s treatment of light and color exemplifies his unique approach to capturing the essence of the landscape, which would later influence the development of modern art.
