Late in his life in Aix en Provence, the painter Paul Cézanne painted Mount Sainte Victoire dozens of times. It was just up the hill from his studio, and he frequently made the walk up the hill and painted the mountain in various states of light and mood.
Today in Aix, the spot is memorialized with reproductions of many of his works. But unfortunately, his unspoiled view has been marked by many home builders who seem to covet their own views, and never mind the tourists who come to pay homage to Cezanne.
We hiked up the hill about 45 minutes from the center of Aix to get to the spot, and then hung out for a while waiting for the sun to cast its late day magic on the opposite mountain. It's difficult to photograph, because the shadows fall on the foreground long before they reach the valley and mountain ahead. The mountain is a long way off, and it's a bit hazy to look across that much land at it. Perfect for a post impressionist take, probably.
Here is one of Cezanne's paintings of Montagne Sainte Victoire.
Thanks for posting this lovely painting. Yours is one of the first blogs I’ve read today — and you’re set the tone! Love Cezanne’s work.
You are entirely welcome, Rusha. It was a lovely late afternoon to walk up and spend an hour watching the shadows spread over a scene that had inspired one of our favorite artists. I can see why he made so many paintings at this spot. And I love how he had the same deep shadows in the foreground as I had to deal with photographically. I felt a small kinship.