Structural analysis of "Game of Bowls" and "Music(study)"by Matisse

Matisse's interest in Cezanne's bathers' paintings is well known.

Let's see when the influence appeared in the work.

The first candidates are "Game of Bowls" and "Music(study)". 

They are on very linear drawings


 Matisse "Game of Bowls 1908

 
  Matisse "Game of Bowls large circle-arc model 



            　　　　　　　　　　　　 Matisse "Music(sketch)"
 Matisse "Music(sketch)" large circle-arc model

Comparing the two models, the difference in their structure is clear.

One of the necessary conditions to be a masterpiece is to be unique.

The basic structure of large circle shows the uniqueness of a work.

Some of the great circles in the second model are aligned along vertical or horizontal lines.


Cezanne painted a few prepared Bathers' paintings.
This painting in Basel Museum is well known in reproduction.

   Cezanne "Five Bathers" 1985-87 Kunst Museum Basel


 large circle-arc model

The model shows that Cezanne might be acquainted with this method. 

No one would be surprised if this was a design of decorative arts.

 You might even think of increasing the number of points of intersection of circles for better effect.

 As we can see Seurat’s copied Ingres and architectural drawings online, he must have been well acquainted in the compositional methods of classical art.

Beardsley was a traditional illustrator.

Cézanne was a rural amateur painter.

It seems that he found the method through the painting process alone.

It is therefore futile to search for the perfect model for his painting. The method was derived from long experience.

 


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