Although he grew up in a small rural town and received no parental encouragement to pursue his art, Paul Cezanne felt the call to paint. From these humble beginnings he had a long way to go to become an internationally renowned painter. Cezanne had many difficult relationships in his life—with his father, with other painters, with good friend and novelist Emile Zola—but his commitment to painting and his original vision never wavered. With nothing but his determination and talent to guide him, he worked and studied until he achieved his dream.

Cezanne believed that the beauty of nature could be expressed in painting. Many of his most well-known works demonstrate that breathtaking beauty. Whether in carefully organized still lifes, darkly expressive portraits, or impressionistic landscapes, the artist insisted that the viewer see Cezanne's unique perspective of the world.

With examples of Cezanne's paintings from all stages of his career, along with period photographs and works by his contemporaries, Robert Burleigh weaves together the remarkable story of Cezanne's life and art.

From the dust jacket