Pyramid of Skulls
Paul Cézanne · 1899
Why it's great
Skulls are piled in a neat pyramid on a table, over a gray cloth, on a green carpet. Cézanne painted skulls to remind himself of how short life is, like many artists before him. He studied the shapes as carefully as he did apples. It's a quiet and serious still life.
Where to see it
🔒 Private collectionOwned by a person or family, so it isn't usually on public display.
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.
