Cezanne was one of the greatest of the Post-Impressionists and a key figures in the development of Modernism. Less concerned with the truth to be found in the appearances of things, his efforts to burst through into the underlying reality made him a revered figure to modernists such as Bonnard, Matisse, and Picasso. (Several years after his death, a group of artists got together to celebrate his influence on them. Contributors of original prints based upon Cezanne's works included Bonnard, Matisse, Ker Roussel, and Vuillard; Picasso traded 100 etching plates to Vollard, which Vollard published as the Vollard Suite, for two of Cezanne's paintings, and Cezanne's impact on Vlaminck and Braque is clear in their ealy work.) Although Cezanne particiapeted in several of the Impressionist group exhibitions, his goal was to return French art to a classical art based upon nature, and his exhaustive studies of nature and his portraits and still lifes attempt to penetrate to the structure of things beneath their surface appearances.

Cezanne only made nine prints during his lifetime, five etchings (of which we offer three) and four lithographs. All of the etchings date from July 1873 when he was experimenting with his friend, the painter Armand Guillaumin, who is portrayed in the etching entitled "At the sign of the hanged man." According to Michel Melot, The Impressionist Print (Yale University Press, 1996), the artists made their prints at the studio of Dr. Gachet, who had an etching press and had himself made a number of etchings. Melot describes Cezanne's etchings as characterized by the "extraordinary violence" with which Cezanne attacked the plate, experimenting with a technique in which he had never been trained.

Guillaumin au pendu (Salomon 2 ii/ii). Original etching, 1873. Edition unknown (c. 1000 unsigned impressions). The poet and painter Armand Guillaumin was Cezanne's friend and probably introduced him to etching. Here we see him siitting beneath the sign of the inn, Le Pendu / The Hanged Man. A good impression on laid paper with large margins. Some plate tone; detail in the dark areas on the underside of the hat brim. Image size: 174x103mm. Price: Please call or email for current pricing information.

Guillaumin au pendu (Salomon 2 ii/ii). Original etching, 1873. Edition unknown (c. 1000 unsigned impressions). The poet and painter Armand Guillaumin was Cezanne's friend and probably introduced him to etching. A good later impression on laid paper with large margins. Diminshed plate tone; dark areas on the underside of the hat brim getting harder to read. Image size: 174x103mm. Price: Please call or email for current pricing information.

Head of a young woman (Salomon 4 iii/iii, Cherpin 4 iii/iii). Original etching and roulette printed in color, 1873. Edition: 1000 impressions partially signed in the plate lower right for Ambroise Vollard's Cezanne (Paris, 1914), of which 150 were on Japon paper, 650 on "papier teinte," and 250 (of which ours is one) on oversize paper with deckled edges. Signed in the plate. The first two states are very rare; the third is the state that was published after the plate was cut down in size. A very good impression with large margins. Michel Melot, The Impressionist Print (Yale University Press, 1996) says, "The most elaborate of Cezanne's etchings is the Head of a Girl, with the shadow in the background worked over with a roulette. Whereas the landscapes are presented without any reworking, this simple, regular face, seen in close up and head on against quite a strong back light with its attendant shadows, has been made more dramatic: the hair is a tangle of lines, there are acid spots everywhere and the eyes are black dots." This is the best impression of this print that we have ever seen. Image size: 120x95mm. SOLD.

Head of a young woman (Salomon 4 iii/iii, Cherpin 4 iii/iii). Original etching and roulette printed in color, 1873. Edition: 1000 impressions partially signed in the plate lower right for Ambroise Vollard's Cezanne (Paris, 1914), of which 150 were on Japon paper, 650 on "papier teinte," and 250 (of which ours is one) on oversize paper with deckled edges. Signed in the plate. The first two states are very rare; the third is the state that was published after the plate was cut down in size. A good impression with large margins, but either a late impression from the print run or a later reprint. Michel Melot, The Impressionist Print (Yale University Press, 1996) says, "The most elaborate of Cezanne's etchings is the Head of a Girl, with the shadow in the background worked over with a roulette. Whereas the landscapes are presented without any reworking, this simple, regular face, seen in close up and head on against quite a strong back light with its attendant shadows, has been made more dramatic: the hair is a tangle of lines, there are acid spots everywhere and the eyes are black dots." . Image size: 120x95mm. Price: Please call or email for current pricing information.

Head of a young woman (Salomon 4 iii/iii, Cherpin 4 iii/iii). Original etching and roulette printed in color, 1873. Edition: 1000 impressions partially signed in the plate for Ambroise Vollard's Cezanne (Paris, 1914), of which 150 were on Japon paper, 650 on "papier teinte," and 250 on oversize paper. Signed in the plate. The first two states are very rare; this is the state that was published. A later impression showing lots of wear, little plate tone, and the loss of detail and sharpness throughout. Large margins. Image size: 120x95mm. Price: Please call or email for current pricing information.

Paysage à Anvers (Salomon 5). Original etching printed in color, 1873. Edition: 600 impressions pulled in1914 for Homage to Cezanne. Salomon says there was a subsequent edition, of which no details are known. Ours is a very good rich impression with sharp detail even in the shaded areas on heavy velin paper. This is the best impression we have ever seen of this etching in our 30 years of running an art gallery: it looks like it was pulled very early in the printing process. Image size: 135x114mm. Price: SOLD.

Paysage à Anvers (Salomon 5). Original etching printed in color, 1873. Edition: 600 impressions pulled in1914 for Homage to Cezanne. Salomon says there was a subsequent edition, of which no details are known. Ours is a good rich impression on heavy velin paper. Another impression of this print (with pale mat stain) sold in auction at Swann Galleries (11/2000) for Please call or email for current pricing information. See below for full sheet of this impression. Image size: 135x114mm. Price: Please call or email for current pricing information.

Spaightwood Galleries, Inc.

To purchase, call us at 1-800-809-3343 (1-508-529-2511 in Upton MA & vicinity) or send an email to spaightwood@gmail.com.
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For directions and visiting information, please call. We are, of course, always available over the web and by telephone (see above for contact information). Click the following for links to past shows and artists. For a visual tour of the gallery, please click here. For information about Andy Weiner and Sonja Hansard-Weiner, please click here. For a list of special offers currently available, see Specials.

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Visiting hours: Saturday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and Sunday noon to 6:00 pm and other times by arrangement.
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