The Fishermen (Fantastic Scene)
ca. 1875
Medium
Oil on canvas
Dimensions
21 3/4 x 32 1/4 in. (55.2 x 81.9 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Department
European Paintings
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Heather Daniels and Katharine Whild, and Purchase, The Annenberg Foundation Gift, Gift of Joanne Toor Cummings, by exchange, Wolfe Fund, and Ellen Lichtenstein and Joanne Toor Cummings Bequests, Mr. and Mrs. Richard J. Bernhard Gift, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Rodgers, and Wolfe Fund, by exchange, and funds from various donors, 2001
Accession Number
2001.473
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
Paul Cézanne’sThe Fishermen (Fantastic)*, painted around1875, captures a riverside gathering of men and women engaged in fishing. Created during the artist’s formative years, the oil on canvas reflects his early experimentation with light, color, and composition while bridging Impressionist spontaneity and his emerging structured approach to. At this time, Cézanne was associating with the Impressionist circle yet developing a distinctive voice that would later influence modern art. The work’s subtitle hints at an imaginative or dreamlike quality, blending everyday activity with a sense of narrative wonder. Oil paint’s versatility allowed him to layer tones and suggest movement along the water’s edge. Now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s European Paintings collection, this modestly scaled piece offers visitors a glimpse into Cézanne’s evolving vision of landscape and human presence.
About the Artist
Paul Cézanne · 1839–1906
Paul Cézanne (1839-1906) stands as one of the most influential figures in the history of modern art, often called the "Father of Modern Art" for his revolutionary approach to form, color, and pictorial space. Born in Aix-en-Provence to a wealthy banker who discouraged artistic pursuits, Cézanne rejected a legal career to pursue painting, though he remained financially dependent on his family until...