The Card Players: Cézanne's Masterpiece Series

Paul Cézanne's 'The Card Players' series is considered a bridge between Impressionism of the 19th century and Cubism of the 20th century. The series consists of five different paintings created between 1890 and 1895.

Cézanne's style was influenced by the works of masters in the Louvre and his own reflections on art. He believed that an artist should first understand the essence of an object and then express it through form, color, and composition.

The series was inspired by a visit to a local art museum where Cézanne saw a painting by the Le Nain brothers titled 'The Card Players'. The models for the paintings were local peasants, some of whom worked at Cézanne's estate, Jas de Bouffan. Cézanne spent five years creating the series, during which he made over ten sketches and several oil portraits.