Plaster Cupid 1886 - 1889

Curator: This sketch of a "Plaster Cupid" by Paul Cézanne, residing here at Harvard, immediately strikes me with its raw, unfinished quality. Editor: Indeed, the visible hatching gives a sense of the artist's process, highlighting the materiality of both the plaster model and the graphite on paper. Cézanne's labor is quite present here. Curator: Absolutely. The deliberate, almost sculptural use of line to define form is what interests me most. Notice how he uses shadow to create depth? Editor: I'd argue that shadow also invokes the social context of academic training. Plaster casts like these were central to that process, democratizing access to classical forms for students who could not afford or access original sculptures. Curator: That's a valid point. His deviation from perfect classical form allows a focus on the abstract nature of form itself. Editor: Cézanne's reinterpretation of tradition truly offers a fascinating glimpse into his practice and artistic concerns. Curator: Precisely, seeing the mark-making in such a direct way allows me to appreciate the composition, the cupid really emerges from the page.