Photo : Courtauld Paul Cezanne
Cezanne and Us
Forget everything you think you know about the fathers of modern art and step into a dialogue between one legendary painter and the giants who followed in his footsteps. From the raw creativity of the avant-garde to the subtle nuances of contemporary abstraction, this collection perfectly captures how one artist’s vision permanently shifted the course of creative history.
Grand Palais (Paris 8th)
About
Cézanne et nous, hosted at the Grand Palais from September 30, 2026, to January 17, 2027, offers an in-depth look at Paul Cézanne’s profound impact on modern art. By tracing his influence on iconic figures like Picasso, Matisse, and Mondrian, the exhibition explores how his formal innovations paved the way for 20th-century avant-gardes. This comprehensive showcase is designed for full accessibility, including wheelchair access and specific resources for deaf, hard-of-hearing, blind, or visually impaired visitors. Tickets range from 0 to 19 euros, making it a must-see for art history enthusiasts looking to re-examine the legacy of the father of modern art.
At the end of the 1880s, while he was no longer seeking to exhibit, artists and collectors discovered Cezanne's work in Père Tanguy's shop. They found there a formal radicalism that reinforced their own search for a "pure" art, already embarked on the path of abstraction.
Subsequently, Cezanne gradually gained recognition, and the reception of his work became abundant. From the first monographic exhibitions organized by the art dealer Ambroise Vollard to major museum and international events, as well as the first major posthumous exhibitions like the 1907 Salon d'Automne, he established himself as a major figure of modernity.
His work became a point of reference for 20th-century avant-gardes, who questioned the relationship between painting and reality and found in the idea that "art is a harmony parallel to nature" an essential tool for reflection.
From Cezanne onwards, the triumph of modern art and formalism, or the reduction of painting to its fundamental compositional elements, has constantly been worked on or surpassed. Paul Gauguin, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Piet Mondrian, Joan Mitchell, Bridget Riley, Peter Doig... From lyrical abstraction to geometric abstraction, through "hard-edge" painting, Cezanne remains a constant reference, sometimes claimed, sometimes reinterpreted, always discussed. In the era of post-modernism, his status as the "father of modern art" continues to be questioned.
Cezanne and Us is the first exhibition to simultaneously tell this dual story: that of his fundamental influence and that, against the tide, of the artists who claimed him. The exhibition highlights a complex and plural history, made of appropriations, filiations, and aesthetic tensions. It invites us to look at Cezanne through the successive gazes he has inspired, up to our contemporary perspective.
Exhibition co-produced by the GrandPalaisRmn, the Centre Pompidou, and the public establishment of the Musée d'Orsay and the Musée de l'Orangerie - Valéry Giscard d'Estaing
Our take on this event
Located at the Grand Palais, the Cézanne et nous exhibition investigates the enduring connection between Paul Cézanne and the generations of artists who followed him. From his initial recognition in the late 1880s at the Père Tanguy shop to the modern era, the exhibition highlights how his belief that art is a harmony parallel to nature inspired diverse movements, ranging from lyrical to geometric abstraction.
The exhibition showcases the evolution of Cézanne’s reputation, from early monographic shows by art dealer Ambroise Vollard to the 1907 Salon d’automne. Visitors can explore how artists such as Gauguin, Matisse, and Bridget Riley engaged with his work, establishing a complex history of aesthetic tensions and filiations that continue to spark debate today.
The venue is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 19:30, with late-night hours until 22:00 every Friday. Co-produced by the GrandPalaisRmn, the Centre Pompidou, and the Musée d’Orsay and Musée de l’Orangerie - Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, the event is fully accessible to all, providing facilities for visitors with physical disabilities as well as those with visual or hearing impairments, including support for sign language users.
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