Gustave Geffroy 1895 - 1896

Paul Cézanne painted this portrait of the writer Gustave Geffroy, probably in Paris, sometime in the 1890s. The setting is telling: Geffroy sits surrounded by the trappings of intellectual life. Bookshelves loom behind him, and open volumes litter the desk. In the 19th century, writers like Geffroy were becoming public figures. They participated in political debates, and helped to shape public opinion. The portrait suggests something of the writer's public role. It also suggests something about the place of the artist, Cézanne, in this changing world. The open books hint at the importance of the writer's critical gaze for Cézanne and his art. The painting itself, with its visible brushstrokes, makes no attempt to hide the labour of its creation. It serves as a reminder that all art, even portraiture, is constructed, fashioned through cultural and institutional forces. Researching the lives and writings of both artist and sitter helps us to understand this image better.