Paul Cézanne: His Unpublished Letters and Memoirs of Him

In 1889, the artist, journalist, and one of the theorists of symbolism Émile Bernard wrote a short note dedicated to Paul Cézanne’s work. For many years, Bernard was an admirer of the artist, but he met him in person only in 1904, staying for a month in Aix-en-Provence—Cézanne’s hometown and a place of creative power. Almost every day Émile Bernard visited Cézanne. Together they went to paint outdoors (en plein air) and talked a great deal about art. Remembering these meetings, and rereading letters he had received from his teacher, Émile Bernard wrote this brief book of reminiscences about the great painter.

This book will not include stories about the arrogant eccentric that people around often took Cézanne to be; instead, you’ll meet a completely different Cézanne: tender and vulnerable, signing his letters to Bernard “your old companion” and, to the end of his days, calling himself a failure—one who never managed to achieve the desired goal.