Cézanne in the Studio: Still Life in Watercolors

The book Cézanne in the Studio: Still Life in Watercolors, written by Carol Armstrong, is an in-depth study of Paul Cézanne´s late watercolors, published in 2004 by the Getty Museum. Produced on the occasion of an exhibition at the Getty, the book centers on the painting "Still Life with Blue Pot" and places it within the context of Cézanne´s artistic and psychological development.
Armstrong demonstrates that Cézanne, by disregarding the French academic hierarchies that regarded still life and watercolor as "inferior" arts, created works that rivaled grand landscapes and even history paintings. In this work, she addresses themes such as the connection between objects and the artist´s personal life, the analogy between still-life space and landscape, and the distinction between preparatory drawing and the final work.
A notable feature of the book is its meticulous examination of Cézanne´s watercolor technique, including his use of transparent layers of color and pencil lines, as well as his "self-reflexive" approach, which reveals the creative process to the viewer. The book is accompanied by excellent illustrations, including new photographs and macro shots of the Getty painting, making it possible to study the work in detail.