Mardi Gras
Paul Cézanne · 1888
Why it's great
A tall Pierrot and a Harlequin in costume stride arm in arm in a carnival masquerade. Cézanne's son Paul and a friend posed for it. The stiff, theater-like figures make a lively picture. It shows how Cézanne painted with simple shapes and blocks of color.
Where to see it
📍 Pushkin Museum of Fine ArtsMoscow, Russia
Open in Maps ↗ About this museum →Hang it on your wall
Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
These links open search results on each shop's own website; we don't sell anything or earn a commission, and print quality varies by seller. Ask a grown-up before you buy anything.
Paul Cézanne was born in Aix-en-Provence in southern France and lived there for much of his life, painting its hills, orchards, and the mountain Sainte-Victoire. He studied with the Impressionists in Paris, but then went his own way, building forms from blocks of color. He is often called the father of modern art, and both Picasso and Matisse praised him. He died in 1906 after catching a chill while painting outside.
