jerusalem Market Still Life. Homage - Paul Cezanne

Seeing this scene I remembered Paul Cezanne's ( 1839- 1906) " Nature Morte" beautiful paintings. It is Homage and a kind ( very modest) of a dialogue with his work of art.

 

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

All this series of Jerusalem is documentary.

Thanks, please read preface.

Pnina, I really like this lovely scene. There is a very pleasing balance between the elements here that I think makes this very restful and harmonious to observe. My eye moves about the image in an orderly fashion and pauses at each object before moving about again. The various angles seems to keep me in the scene wonderfully well. I also like the colours here with the shall and the pomegranates echoing each other and framing the yellows between them. I think there is a lot of potential in this – I can create a number of narratives here.

 

My only thought about your inspiration from Cezanne is how much we must see those paintings differently. I can hardly think of a still-life more different from Cezanne's than this!

 

For me, what distinguishes those paintings by Cezanne is his interest in infusing tremendous amounts of energy and "life" into the "dead" subjects. Cezanne chooses powerfully dynamic, almost frenetic, compositions and then uses similarly energetic techniques in painting the elements. The subjects of his images usually seem to be in some sort of motion. The energy is achieved variously – often the fruit is placed throughout the canvas, providing hits of colour that drive the eye quickly, rapidly through the frame (e.g. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Paul_Cezanne_Nature_morte.jpg), or the drapery is full of swirling energy (e.g. http://www.dl.ket.org/webmuseum/wm/paint/auth/cezanne/sl/rideau-pichet/cezanne.rideau-pichet.jpg), or else the very brush strokes provide the energy (e.g. http://www.thecityreview.com/f06sip1k.jpg). These are the things that distinguish the Cezanne paintings for me.

 

I very much like this photographer of yours; however, I do not see in it the same energy or the same interest in asserting and insisting of the vitality of the subject matter. Your photo seems to be so much more at rest. I find your photo very calming – something I definitely can not say about the Cezanne images. It is balanced rather than purposely unbalanced; it is graceful rather than brash.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First thanks for stopping by and commenting on both and especially on this one. I will try to explain it better with my English...

 

I agree with you and I think that maybe I did not explain myself very well, because it was NOT! meant to be an analogy/comparison between his work and mine,(which you seemed to express in your comment) I think it would have been very audacious and not appropriate on my part to do that kind of analogy.

 

I added also that it is a documentary series of photographs (of everyday life in Jerusalem.) and of course very different in every detail, aspect, and technic from painting in general and his work (in this regard) in particular

 

Seeing this still life scene in the market, especially the fruits colors just reminded me( as an association) his work. As I'm a graduate of art school I have learned the history and development of the arts, and I know his works and his mastery.

 

It happens to me in the process of my work with photography ( and painting in the past) to have associations to/with works of masters of the past that I admire, and I have those associations from time to time ( which are part of my study, interest and education ),and which makes me want to homage the art of theirs( not an analogy, I would like to stress my point only respect and honoring, as I understand the word homage).

 

During the years of creating I did some homage to painters/ sculptures of different eras that I like. I see it as a dialogue (or better say a monologue....) with their art that I love .Thanks for all the links that I know most of them ( as well as books that I own).

 

I upload some links for you , if it will interest you (and maybe other visitors) to understand better the cultural associations I have.

 

Ian I wonder if my explanation made it better understood? It will be nice if you will find the time to continue this dialogue here. Thank you very much.

 

http://photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=336866

 

http://photo.net/photodb/presentation?presentation_id=268934

 

http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=9690701

I think Cezanne would be happily inspired by those bowls of fruit, just longing to be twisted and distorted and flat-brushed into history. I can envision the table legs toppling, the shawl contorting, and the the great white canvas of a door becoming a willing backdrop to this happy confusion.

regardless if in the spirit of Cezanne or not, your picture is finely composed and tells it's story. The richness of tones, colors and textures is amazing.

Regards, Tibi

Jeff, you made me smile, as you are right and well described what Cezanne would have done with this quiet still life....

 

Tibi, glad to see you. I think that usually it is hard for people( not reffering to the previous comment of Ian) to be aware of the difference between the word Homage vs. analogy ( which the dictionary as well defines homage as: respect and honor, and as I understand it) .

 

Thanks both, I appreciate it very much.

Pnina, a befitting homage to Cezanne. Superb still-life.There should not be any doubt about your intention. You are quite explicit.Excellent series,indeed.

Wonderful image Pnina, and thank you , I just learned something about Paul

Cezanne.... Kind Regards Andrea

Hi Pnina,

 

Sorry not to get back here sooner.

 

I think I understand what you mean by hommage. In all of the other images you provided with your reply (and their subsequent discussions), I can really see why the association came to you or why you felt a given image had an element of hommage within it.

 

I did not expect your image to be directly analogous to Cezanne's. However, I still don't really see here what made you think of Cezanne here. Other than the fruit and the table, I do not see anything that relates in my mind with Cezanne's images.

 

I feel the mood is very different. His are full of energy and motion – occasionally even frenzied. Here it is calming, soothing.

 

I feel the technical aspects are different as well. Your image has a much fuller, deeper perspective with a long background that extends deep beyond the immediate scene than any of his very fore-shortened perspectives. Your image's composition seems at rest, while so many of his seem precarious, or even in motion due to his treatment of the brush-strokes on the canvas.

 

Do not get me wrong, I quite like this image. I also like the series as a whole so far and I feel this image fits very nicely with the others you have made.

 

If I was to point to an image that I felt had a great deal of similarity with this, I would turn to one of Gaugin's still-life images from his time in the south-Pacific.

 

http://www.paul-gauguin.net/Still-Life-With-Teapot-And-Fruit.jpg

 

For me, that painting has a similar mood and emotional quality as your image here. It is relaxing, harmonious, carefully balanced. The composition is ordered and purposeful.

 

Technically, it also plays with the idea of a screen to keep the majority of the attention in the foreground, while still having a small corner that allows the eye to flow back into the far distance – in fact, there is a person silhouetted against stronger light in that far background in both your image and in Gaugin's painting.

 

 

 

Thanks for following my answer. I surly agree with you about Cezanne's and Paul Gauguin's difference of perspective expression and executions. And your commentary is very well written( also the link to Gauguin's still life, real nice analysis) . I love Gauguin's works, but for me his work from the islands especially, created in south pacific , Tahiti and other islands are the core of his work of art. I love his entering so deeply and sensitively into the local human life, his well connected work with painting values and spiritual ones (link attached ) asking questions! ,and even though he has still life as well, Cezanne's work is "full" with still life paintings. ( another link) .

 

I will try again to explain my way of associations. It was the SUBJECT of still life as a subject that was my association, not any comparison of styles ( I have still life works without any homage, some links attached too) simply remembered his so many paintings of this sublects and wanted to respect his work. Also probably my hiding feelings( teacher's aspirations....? Started my creating aspiration with teaching ceramics ,another story though.... ;-)) of connecting members to his work , and I'm glad Andrea Allison (previous comment, thanks Andrea !) learned something about him and his art .

 

Thttp://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/cezanne/sl/

 

 

http://www.paul-gauguin.net/Where-Do-We-Come-From-What-Are-We-Doing-Where-Are-We-Going.html ( 1897)

 

http://www.artchive.com/artchive/G/gauguin.html

 

 

 

http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=6969518&size=lg

 

http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=6872036

 

http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=6895339&size=lg

 

BTW, you write hommage with two m's my two dictionaries write it with one m. Oxford dictionary defines Homage ( with one m) as" aknowlegement of superiority " I think it fits my intent.

 

Ian, it is a very fruitful discussion, I really appreciate your comments.I wonder if you understand me better? ;-))

 

 

Andrea and Amal, thanks both of you.

Yes, it is true, I probably understand you better now. I can certainly see why you would want to pay homage to Cezanne and share your desire that everyone become more familiar with his works. His paintings – especially those made late in his life when he lived in Provence are such an important part of art history. They are the bridge between the impressionist and post-impressionist worlds and the modernity of Picasso and Braque and others to follow. The foundations of all that are with Cezanne and he is under appreciated compared either to his predecessors or his followers when he did so much of the exploratory work of finding a way forward.

 

I certainly enjoyed our discussion. Thanks.

 

P.S. I certainly know of no other accepted spelling than homage. I simply made an error. Moreover, you are correct that there is nothing in homage that expressly suggests that there should be anything more than an offer respect and admiration.

 

 

 

Thanks, glad you understand my point of view. Yes you are so right about Cezanne. See you in the future.