Paul Cézanne

Gustave Boyer

c. 1870-1871
As a teenager in Aix-en-Provence, Gustave Boyer (1840–1889) became close friends with Cézanne and the writer Émile Zola, his schoolmates. He likely provided the model for Pouillaud, the mischievous law student in Zola’s novel The Masterpiece. Portrait painting played a crucial role in Cézanne’s early development, and he usually chose family and friends as models. The fluid brushwork and darker tones reveal the influence of Édouard Manet.
Title
Gustave Boyer
Date
c. 1870-1871
Medium
Painting
Materials
oil on canvas
Dimensions
46.2 x 38.1 cm
Nationality
French
Credit line
Purchased 1940
Accession number
4550