The Boy in the Red Vest
Paul Cézanne · 1889
Why it's great
A young man in a red vest leans on his arm, painted in sculpted blocks of color. Cézanne painted this model, an Italian youth, several times. Look at his unnaturally long arm — it's deliberate, for the balance of the composition. It's one of the most famous modern portraits.
Where to see it
📍 Foundation E.G. Bührle CollectionZurich, Switzerland
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Three places to look for a print of this painting, from budget to museum-grade:
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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.
