Analysis of "Houses on a Hill" by Paul Cezanne Art Essay

Artworks began many years ago in an attempt to create visual, auditory as well as performing artefacts which express the author's imaginative, conceptual or technical skills (Clark, 321). Most artworks have an underlying, deeper meaning attached to them but the initial visual interpretation is the first impression of their significance.

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There being much artwork of all times, the artefact by the name "Houses on a hill" is one of the works that was captivating to the eyes of a majority. This Artwork is located in the famous museum of McNay that was founded in 1954 in San Antonio Texas USA. It was creatively designed and drawn by one of the artists of all time by the name Paul Cezanne who brought artwork visually and conceptually, and linked impressionism and later experimentation. Paul Cezanne was a French artist who paved a way for modern art through his impressive work that was recommended by many. He made the art in 1903 in form of a painting where he proofed his masterly in the art (Clark, 301). Moreover, he utilized the post-impressionism style which rose as a response against Impressionists concern for the naturalistic delineation of light and colour. This painting comprises of houses which are delineated using a dark blue colour as well as Overlapping vertical blocks of various greens to describe foliage on the hillside. In the foreground are bushes and a hint of a boat at the right. There is a river bank in the painting suggested by the horizontal strokes, of green, blue and orange. Finally, there is a jumble of light blue that floods the sky above the hill, as well as subtle violets, filling in the planes of the houses.

In his painting, he used a medium of oil on canvas to make a well designed and creative painting. This painting showed Cezanne's confidence in using colour during the last years of his life. He applied the paint with a brush on the canvas using his watercolour technique that allowed the painting to unfold in a subtle interplay of overlapping strokes of colour wash (Walker, Mary, &Molly Giles, 267).

Equally important is the visual elements that Paul Cezanne incorporated in his artefact. One of the visual element that he used is the colour. He used dark blue to delineate the houses, bushes in the foreground and a hint of a boat at the right. Moreover, there are horizontal strokes of orange, blue and green to suggest a river bank. The second element that he used is shape. A house that is in this art can easily be identified by its shape. Organic shapes are also demonstrated by the hills that are clearly seen in the painting as well as by the green colour that describes foliage on the hillside. On the other hand, he uses principles of design one of them being emphasis especially visual emphases where he paints the houses by using shape contrast in a focal area where they become a focus and therefore receives emphasis. Secondly, he uses contrast design to create visual excitement and add interest to his work. He uses simultaneous contrast where he places white and dark blue side by side which makes them appear brighter than if they would have been placed next to other hues.

The content of Paul Cezanne's work has a meaning behind it which it portrays in one way or the other. In this particular painting that he painted in 1903, three years before he met his death, it was meant to exhibit his confidence in using colour during the last years of his life. Moreover, as much as he wanted to portray his confidence, he reveals the beautiful appearance of nature and its surroundings when well-kept and conserved (Clark, 387). He does this by using a contrast of colours to bring a clear view of the image by overlapping different colours to represent different things.

On the other hand, Culture influences an artist's work by forming the perspective of the artist in the outer world. Arts are part of culture and impacts society by changing opinions, instilling values as well as deciphering encounters across space and time. This artwork by Cezanne made a positive remark on his culture as a French artist and ultimately achieved a strength as well as the solidarity of form not present in most impressionist works. He painted how a beautiful and outstanding a home looks like in a landscape having being located in a place near the hillsides. The art came out so lively creating a good perspective not only to his culture but also to his society as in those times, art was highly valued and was a means of communicating different things within the society.

Paul Cezanne also used themes in his artwork. Bathers were one of the common themes that he used in his painting. He used oil to paint his artwork which made him the most famous artist of the time. His work came out to be of quality and made an achievement of paving the way for future artists to paint pieces which would appeal equally to all generations (Walker, Mary, &Molly Giles, 345). Secondly, he used landscape theme also which he incorporated in his work making his art examinable not from one but several angles which also made him refer his work as "A harmony parallel to nature".

Paul Cezanne was born on January 19, 1839, and passed on on October 22, 1906, that is, sooner after finishing this work of art. He was one of the most influential post-impressionist whose work and ideas were highly respected. He went to school in the college bourbon in Aix and in 1858 joined a law school despite not having passion in the career. Afterwards, he persuaded his parents especially his father whom later supported him in pursuing painting in Paris a career that made him the legend he is today.

Works cited

Clark, Timothy J. The painting of modern life: Paris in the art of Manet and his followers. Princeton University Press, 2015.

Nord, Philip. Impressionists and politics: art and democracy in the nineteenth century. Routledge, 2014.

Walker, Mary H. Molly Giles. Challenges and Choices-Four Single Donor Museums (the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the McNay Museum of Art, the Walker Art Center and The Barnes Foundation)-Creatively Adapt to Change. Diss. The University of the Arts, 2013.