The artwork “Mont Sainte-Victoire and the Viaduct of the Arc River Valley,” created by Paul Cezanne between 1882 and 1885, is a quintessential example of Post-Impressionism, a movement that followed Impressionism. This oil painting, which measures 65 x 82 cm, is a landscape that captures the serene majesty of Mont Sainte-Victoire and is part of the Mont Sainte-Victoire series by Cezanne. This piece is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, New York, United States.
In the artwork, Cézanne offers a view of the French countryside with Mont Sainte-Victoire rising majestically in the background. The composition juxtaposes natural forms with human-made structures, notably the viaduct, which features prominently. Cézanne’s brushwork is visible, with small, precise strokes that build up the form and dimension of the trees, mountains, and buildings. His use of color and light shows a departure from the more ephemeral quality of Impressionism, moving towards a more structured and considered expression that still captures the vibrant luminosity of the Provençal landscape. Cézanne’s work on Mont Sainte-Victoire, including this painting, became very influential as an emblematic subject of his quest to simplify natural forms into geometric essentials, thus setting the stage for the development of modern art.
