Artwork
The Bathers (Small Plate)
The Bathers (Small Plate) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Paul Cézanne. It dates from 1897 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Paul Cézanne’s small lithographic plate titled The Bathers dates from 1897. Executed in colour, the print measures modest dimensions and belongs to the artist’s series of nude studies. It presents a compact composition of five unclothed figures situated within a forested setting, rendered in a subdued palette of greens, yellows and earth tones.
Subject & Meaning
The work depicts a group of five nude bodies arranged closely, some in contact or leaning upon one another, suggesting a quiet, intimate gathering. Set against a loosely sketched woodland, the scene emphasizes the natural relationship between human form and environment, a recurring concern in Cézanne’s late explorations of the figure.
Technique & Style
Created through colour lithography, the image relies on quick, gestural lines to suggest foliage and terrain, while the figures are reduced to simplified, volumetric shapes. The palette is muted, giving the print a faded, atmospheric quality. Cézanne’s approach here favors overall structure over fine detail, reflecting his interest in underlying geometric forms.
History & Provenance
The lithograph was produced in the final decade of Cézanne’s career, a period when he revisited the motif of bathers in various media. It was issued as part of a limited edition series of prints, though specific details of its original ownership and subsequent collection history remain limited in the public record.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Paul Cézanne ( say-ZAN, UK also siz-AN, US also say-ZAHN; French: ; Occitan: Pau Cesana; 19 January 1839 – 22 October 1906) was a French Post-Impressionist painter whose work introduced new modes of representation,…
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