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POSTIMPRESSIONISM
PAUL CEZANNE:
Excerpts from the Letters
WORK BEFORE THEORY
To Octave Mails, Paris, 27 November 1889
I must tell you with regard to this matter that the many studies I made having given only negative results, and dreading the critics who are only too justified, I had resolved to work in silence until the day when I should feel myself able to defend in theory the results of my attempts.
THE ARTIST'S ROLE
To Joachin Gasquet, Aix, 30 April 1896
Could you but see inside me, the man within, you would be so [angry] no longer. Do you not see to what a sad state I am reduced[2] Not master of myself, a man who does not exist, and it is you,who claim to be a philosopher, who would cause my final downfall? But I curse the X . _ . s and the few rascals who, for the sake of writing an article for 50 francs, drew the attention of the public to me. All my life I have worked to be able to earn my living, but I thought that one could do good painting without attracting attention to one's private life. To be sure, an artist wishes to raise his standard intellectually as much as possible, but the man must remain in obscurity. Pleasure must be found in study. If it had been given me to succeed, I should have remained in my corner with my few studio companions with whom we used to go out for a pint. I still have a good friend from those days. Well, he has not been successful, which does not prevent him from being far more of a painter than all the daubers in spite of their medallions and decorations, which make me sick, and you want me at my age to believe in anything? Moreover, I am as good as dead.
"LET US WORK"
To Joachin Gasquet and to a young friend, n.d. (#129 bis, p. 203) For my part, I am getting old. I shall not have time to express myself .... Let us work . . . The study of the model and its realization is sometimes very slow in coming.
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