In summer 2022, the Art Institute of Chicago mounted Cézanne, the artist’s first U.S. retrospective in more than 25 years and its own first Cézanne-focused exhibition in over 70 years. Organized in collaboration with Tate Modern (London), this once-in-a-generation show presented 80 oil paintings, 40 watercolors and drawings, and two complete sketchbooks across the Institute’s Regenstein Hall.

As a member, I visited nearly a dozen times on my Friday lunch breaks. Over the coming weeks, I’ll share my photographs of these masterpieces alongside reflections on Cézanne’s life and technique.

Experiencing the originals up close was profoundly moving. One moment you’re reading about his work online; the next, you’re face-to-face with Still Life with Apples, marveling at its layered brushwork and subtle geometry. Words fall short of the awe I felt.
And I was not alone. The crowds were significant, paying tributes to the master who was revered by his own contemporaries.

Though I can’t recreate that serene gallery hush here online, I hope to bring you as close as possible—through my lens and a few carefully chosen stories. Stay tuned for the first post in this long-term series on Cézanne (Art Institute of Chicago, May–Sept 2022).

More soon…