Mont Sainte-Victoire and the Viaduct of the Arc River Valley (1882–85)
Technique: Giclée quality print
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More about this artwork
In "Mont Sainte-Victoire and the Viaduct of the Arc River Valley," painted between 1882 and 1885 by Paul Cézanne, viewers are granted a peaceful and expansive vista that captures not just the natural beauty but also the transformative touch of human presence upon the landscape. This artwork provides a view from a wooded hillside that offers a clear sightline across a valley dominated by the majestic Mont Sainte-Victoire in the background.The foreground teems with lush green trees, distinctively rendered with thick, fervent brushstrokes common to Cézanne's style, providing a vibrant contrast to the calm, rolling hills in the distance. The middle of the composition features the viaduct, a bridge composed of numerous arches that stretch across the canvas, emphasizing the synthesis of natural and constructed environments. The bridge leads the viewer's eye through the agricultural fields scattered with soft patches of yellow and green, up to the craggy, looming mountain, bathed in pastel hues.This painting is exemplary of Cézanne’s innovative approach to perspective and color, establishing a dialogue between human civilization and the natural world, which was a central theme in many of his works.