Philadelphia Museum of Art Custom Prints
HOME

PAUL CÉZANNE

PORTRAIT OF MADAME CÉZANNE, 1883-1885

Navigation
Home
About
Help
View Cart
Shop Main Online Store

About the Artwork

Hortense Figuet, the subject of more than forty-four paintings and drawings by Cézanne, was the artist's mistress, model, and, later, wife. The two met in Paris in 1869 when she began to sit for him, and they had a son in 1872 but did not marry until 1886, when family pressures and a desire to legitimize their now fourteen-year-old son intervened. The couple often lived apart owing to Hortense's preference for city life, but she never ceased to pose for Cézanne, who found her oval face a captivating subject. 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. Nevertheless, a date during the second of three periods in which Cézanne made a series of portraits of Hortense can be suggested, or around 1885-87, when she was about thirty-five years old. Unusually for Cézanne, this is a reflective and psychological portrait, with Hortense's tilted head and upraised chin giving her an alert, inquiring look. Fragments of a vine and a wall in the upper portion of the canvas suggest an outdoor setting, as does the subject's heavy jacket and the pale blue background. Jennifer A. Thompson, from Masterpieces from the Philadelphia Museum of Art: Impressionism and Modern Art (2007), p. 96.

Popular Images

About Our Prints

Quality
Philadelphia Museum of Art Custom Prints offers exclusive custom reproductions of artworks in the collections of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Hand-made in the USA using gallery-quality materials, we create prints as true to the original work as possible, using strict color management protocols and state-of-the-art printing technology.
Selection
Many of the works offered through this store are exclusive and not available anywhere else. In addition, new works are continually added to the offering so make sure to come back and see the new releases.
Customization
You have found the work that speaks to you. Now what? Using our innovative custom framing tool you can preview exactly what your finished and framed art will look like. We offer many different moulding styles so there is sure to be a match for any type of decor.

Member Discounts

As always, members will receive their discount for all transactions processed through our Custom Prints store. Simply enter your Member ID during the checkout process and your discount will be applied.