1883-1885

Portrait of Madame Cézanne

French, 1839 - 1906

Over a twenty-year period, Paul Cézanne explored the complexity and changing emotions of Hortense Fiquet’s oval face. Few portraits of the artist’s mistress, model, and later wife were shown publicly in the artist’s lifetime. Dating these portraits is difficult because Hortense’s hairstyle and clothing are often similar and are not depicted in sufficient detail to suggest contemporary fashions. It is likely that Cézanne painted this example around 1885–87, when Hortense was about thirty-five years old. Her tilted head and upraised chin give her an alert, inquiring look. Recent study of the painting indicates that the foliage was once part of a still life. The artist reduced the size of the canvas and turned it 90 degrees to create this portrait, in which remnants of a floral arrangement suggest an outdoor setting. The light background and the luminous colors of her face further suggest the effect of diffused sunlight.