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Paul Cézanne bridged the gap between 19th century Impressionism and 20th century Cubism. He’s considered a revolutionary artist who inspired generations and is often called the “father of modern art.” His work is known for its bold brushstrokes, unique use of color and perspective, and exploration of human interaction. Cézanne loved literature—as a teenager, he saw himself first as a poet – he began painting on the side when he was in school. With his close childhood friend, novelist Émile Zola (known together as ‘the inseparables’), he would spend time after school writing poems and reading, ‘with books in our pockets…our loves, in those days were above all, the poets.’ He loved his hometown of Aix-en-Provence and said the hills above Aix were the place of his happiest memories. Here he would paint local landscapes and landmarks such as the Bibémus quarry, Château Noir and Mont Sainte-Victoire—he painted this mountain more than 80 times. He was still painting the countryside around Aix at the time of his death in 1906.
William H. Fredlund, the Director of the Institute, obtained his B.A. and M.A. from UCLA, where he specialized in European history and art history. He studied in Italy on a Fulbright Fellowship and completed a double Ph.D. in history and humanities at Stanford, specializing in Renaissance Italy. Dr. Fredlund has taught for UCLA, the University of Florence, Stanford, and UCSC Extension.
