The Bay of Marseille, Seen from L'Estaque – Paul Cézanne

In 1885, Paul Cézanne painted "The Bay of Marseille, Seen from L'Estaque," capturing the serenity of the Mediterranean from this picturesque fishing village near Marseille. The painting presents a balanced composition, where the red rooftops contrast with the deep blue of the sea, reflecting the intense light of southern France. Cézanne settled in L'Estaque during the 1880s, drawn by the tranquility and natural beauty of the place, which allowed him to develop his Post-Impressionist style.

From the small house his mother rented for him, located at 2 Place François Maleterre, next to the parish church called Église de l'Estaque, the artist had a privileged view of the bay, which he captured on multiple canvases. Throughout his stay, Cézanne painted around twenty views of L'Estaque. His focus on structure and form in these works laid the foundation for the development of Cubism in the 20th century.

Post-Impressionism, the movement to which Cézanne belonged, was characterized by going beyond Impressionism, exploring the underlying structure of forms and the perception of color. Works like this influenced later artists such as Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, who found in Cézanne’s geometric decomposition a source of inspiration for their own Cubist explorations.