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Overview
Cezanne is justly admired as one of the seminal artists of the modern era. He is the standard by which we measure ourselves as modern appreciators of art. This book, an essay in interpretation, proposes a way out of the impasse of formalism. Interpretation as pursued in this book proceeds on the conviction that a work holds more than meets the eye. For this submerged content to be apparent, however, the reader will be required to exercise a scrutiny more intense than is commonly the case.Editorials
Library Journal
Geist proposes a new interpretation of Cezanne's paintings based on verbal/visual puns, rebuses, hidden images, and symbolic representations referring to Cezanne's family, friends, and his own erotic fantasies. He is strongest when discussing the puns, which have been scrupulously researched and are based on words taken from French, occasionally from Latin or Provencal, and more frequently from the sexual slang of the period. Also intriguing is his complex theory of the symbolism present in Cezanne's repeated use of certain objects and figural poses to represent specific individuals, but his reasons for insisting that these are unconscious products are unconvincing. Fascinating speculations to supplement the standard formal studies. For large art collections. Lynell A. Morr, John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art Lib., Sarasota, Fla.Book Details
Published
July 1, 1989
Publisher
Harvard University Press
Pages
312
Format
Hardcover
ISBN
9780674459557