Part Two….After Cezanne met Coldstream

After a month since I wrote part one of this commentary I have completed “the Fruit Dish with Fruit” composition with similar dimensions of the Cezanne original; as I stated above, I did not copy directly but recreated the original still life with some minor adjustments. I also carried out a couple of exercises of the same still life but from different bleak angles. Having been somewhat derogatory about so that’s work in part one of this essay I have turned “volte face” with respect to my initial judgement of Cezanne.

 The consequence of my endeavours has been that I now understand the angst and nervousness that emanates from the Cezanne painting. I could not generate a smidgen of the agitation hence I consider my exercise educational and humbling as my still life, perhaps competent, is dead and lacks a vibrancy as depicted well in the original. I am actually not depressed by this but actively challenged and realise that I need to find a freedom in my interpretation of such banal subject matter to make it fizz.