Man in a Blue Smock c. 1896 - 1897

"Man in a Blue Smock" is a painting by Paul Cézanne, completed between 1896 and 1897. The painting features a man in a blue smock and a red neckerchief, seated against a background that suggests a landscape. It exemplifies Cézanne's signature style, characterized by geometric forms and the use of brushstrokes to build up the image. This technique, known as "constructive color", creates a sense of depth and volume, and is visible in the way the man's figure is formed by planes of color. The fragmented background, with its hazy outlines and hint of a figure, adds to the overall sense of ambiguity and abstraction. This painting showcases Cézanne's transition from Impressionism toward a more independent and abstract style that would have a profound influence on 20th-century art.