Man with Crossed Arms 1900

Paul Cézanne's "Man with Crossed Arms," now at the Guggenheim, is a study in the solidity and structure achievable through paint. The composition is dominated by the figure, whose form fills the frame, conveying a sense of presence and weight. Cézanne’s application of paint is crucial here. Notice how each brushstroke, a discrete unit of color, contributes to the overall form. These aren't blended seamlessly but juxtaposed, building up layers that articulate volume and space. He uses color not just to describe, but to construct; a patch of blue might suggest recession, while a dab of red can bring a surface forward. The man's pose, with arms crossed, creates a sense of geometric containment, mirroring the artist’s own approach to containing and structuring the visual field. In essence, the painting functions as a system, in which each element contributes to a unified, if unconventional, representation. This emphasis on the structural over the superficial is, perhaps, Cézanne's most enduring legacy.