Cézanne's Legacy in Literature and Art Revisited in Paris Exhibition

Philippe Sollers' book reissued with exhibition

Philippe Sollers' 1995 book Le Paradis de Cézanne is being reissued as the exhibition "Cézanne et nous" opens at the Grand Palais in Paris. The exhibition runs until January 17 and coincides with the republication of Sollers' work, which examines Cézanne's influence and artistic conflicts.

Sollers discusses Cézanne's artistic conflicts

In Le Paradis de Cézanne, Sollers explores the "secret war of painters," a term he uses to describe broader artistic conflicts. He references Augustin de Butler’s work Lumières sur les impressionnistes, which notes the suppression of impressionists' references to the eighteenth century, except when linked to Greek art, as observed by Rodin.

Sollers links Cézanne to philosophical ideas

Sollers also wrote about the philosophical underpinnings of art in his earlier work Les surprises de Fragonard. In Le Paradis de Cézanne, he emphasizes that Cézanne's work embodies the "very emotion of thought beyond all representation," citing Heidegger's concept that thinking equates to thanking.

Cézanne's dedication to time and nature

Sollers highlights Cézanne's dedication to time in his art, such as the hundred sitting sessions for the portrait of Vollard and days spent in nature. He also references Heidegger’s prolonged contemplation of the Sainte-Victoire Mountain, as recounted by François Fédier in Sixty-two photographs of Martin Heidegger.

Cézanne's blue and overlooked works

Sollers notes that Cézanne's blue, descending from the eighteenth century, is a key element in his work. He also points out that Cézanne's "Bathers" and "Swimmers" represent a significant, yet often overlooked, aspect of his art. Sollers suggests that Cézanne's work is polemical and political, and that he was a revolutionary in the nineteenth century.

Relevance of Cézanne in modern context

In his writings, Sollers discusses the relevance of Cézanne's work in the modern context, referencing Marcelin Pleynet’s Cézanne, which questions the current understanding of Cézanne's art in the face of modern audiences. Sollers also compares Piero della Francesca’s The Baptism of Christ with Cézanne’s The Large Bather, suggesting such comparisons can reveal deeper artistic truths.

Exhibition dates and spelling debate

The exhibition "Cézanne et nous" at the Grand Palais is scheduled from September 23, 2026, to January 17, 2027. The publisher of the new edition of Le Paradis de Cézanne retained the French spelling of Cézanne with an acute accent, despite descendants of the painter validating the original spelling "Cezanne."