Trois crânes (The Three Skulls)
1898 Detroit Institute of Arts
About this artwork
This still life features three human skulls arranged on a wooden surface against a dark background, a subject Cézanne explored multiple times late in his career. The painting reflects Cézanne's characteristic methodical brushwork and exploration of form.
Did you know?
Toward the end of his life, Paul Cézanne frequently painted skulls, often interpreted as meditations on mortality and the transience of life, a theme known as 'vanitas' in art history. It's believed he kept actual skulls in his studio, perhaps even borrowing them from a local ossuary, to study their forms and imbue his canvases with a profound sense of human fragility.
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Trois crânes (The Three Skulls)
Paul Cezanne, 1898
