At The Jas

When at the Jas de Bouffan in Aix three and half years ago, I set up my easel in the field at the left to the space in front of the mansion.  The mansion, which you can't see, is in the center-right of the painting behind the plane trees which border one side of the space leading to the house.  Anyway, the sun streaks and tree shadows intrigued me then, but I can still feel today the excitement of painting at what for me is a sacred site.  9x12 inches, oil on board.

Jas De Bouffan

This front corner view of the Jas de Bouffan in Aix I painted from the edge of a side clearing.  The plane tree is the last one in a row leading up to the mansion.  Cezanne lived and painted there for forty years.  9x12 inches, oil on board.

The Spirit of Cezanne

While looking at paintings and postings, I found that I never posted some paintings done in Aix over three years ago.  At the time, the grounds in front of the Jas de Bouffan were open, though the building itself was not.  I walked there and painted.  The place was usually empty except for the spirit of Paul Cezanne.  9x12 inches, oil on linen.

 

Same Spot in Aix

The top painting I did while in Aix in September.  It represents the Jas de Bouffan, the mansion acquired by Paul Cezanne's father in 1859.  It's a 9x12 oil on multimedia board.

The other painting was done by Cezanne in 1887-90.  What is interesting about the Cezanne painting (besides being a great painting) is that it is the only painting considered to be of the front or north side of the Jas de Bouffan.  All of the other fifty or so oils and watercolors of the Jas de Bouffan Cezanne did at the back of the building.  I'm not convinced that the Cezanne painting represents the front of the building.  The balcony and main ground floor entrance are not visible though Cezanne always took liberties.  But I like the idea that I could have been standing in the same spot as Cezanne when I did my painting.