Portrait of Paul Cézanne

Art Historical Context

In 1874, Camille Pissarro created this intimate etching portrait of his fellow artist Paul Cézanne, the young post-Impressionist at age 35. Produced as a single-state print on laid paper—a textured, handmade sheet typical of fine 19th-century printmaking—this work measures a modest plate size of 9/16 x 8 7/16 inches. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, it exemplifies the experimental spirit of the era, blending Pissarro's Impressionist sensibilities with etching's precise line work. The portrait emerged during a pivotal moment: 1874 marked the first Impressionist exhibition in Paris, where both artists participated amid criticism from the art establishment. Pissarro, a mentor figure to Cézanne, immortalized his friend's intense gaze and tousled hair, highlighting their close collaboration in Pontoise, where they painted en plein air together. Etching, an intaglio technique involving acid-biting lines into a metal plate, allowed for subtle tonal variations and expressive detail, making this a rare printed homage rather than a painting. As one of only a handful of early portraits of Cézanne, this print offers a glimpse into the personal bonds fueling modern art's evolution. Its scarcity as the "only state" underscores its status as a collector's gem, inviting visitors to ponder the friendships that shaped Impressionism and beyond.

About the Artist

Camille Pissarro|Paul Cézanne · 1831–1903

Camille Pissarro (1830-1903) stands as the patriarch of Impressionism, the only artist to exhibit in all eight Impressionist exhibitions and a mentor whose influence shaped the trajectory of modern art. Born Jacob Abraham Camille Pissarro on the Caribbean island of St. Thomas to a Jewish-Portuguese merchant family, he abandoned the family business to pursue painting, eventually settling in Paris i...