Thu 04 Oct 2007 3:30PM - 4:30PM
Mon 08 Oct 2007 9:00AM - 10:00AM

This amazing Sky Arts documentary profiles the life and times of one of the most underrated artists of modern times. Ignored by critics and public alike during his lifetime, Cézanne’s work didn’t start selling properly until after his death, as people realised that his paintings had value.

Many bracketed him with the Impressionists, but his way of portraying natural forms, revisited through a geometric viewpoint, laid the foundations for Cubism and Abstraction. It was this style that led to abuse from some quarters, and was the major contributor to the lack of exhibitions he was able to stage. What can be understood from the paintings is Cézanne’s deep-rooted unease with the human form, naked or otherwise, and his disquiet with personal contact, in his work and life in general.

The programme looks at numerous Cézannes, with comments from modern day critics and even Aline Cezanne, grand-daughter of the artist. Location pieces from around Aix-en-Provence, the artist’s home town, give the viewer a feeling of the landscape that surrounded the artist as he worked.

Want to comment on the programme? Have your say here.