I love visiting artist ateliers!  There is so much to learn from the environment where an artist lived and worked...  For example, on the back wall of Cézanne's atelier is a study of a nude.  The original cast that he used is still there and on full display now that Cézanne's art studio has been converted into a House Museum.  Imagine visiting Picasso's atelier!!!  Cézanne is known for the innovative way of  painting more than one perspective.  Why is this significant?  Cézanne's way of painting was actually what lead to Picasso and Braque to eventually develop cubism.  So it's no secret in the art world that Picasso's admired Cézanne.  In fact, Picasso admired Cézanne so much that he called Cézanne "the father of all of us." 

 

So it's always fascinating to me to learn that even our heroes have their own heroes who they admired and looked up to for their own work...  During the day I spent visiting Cézanne's studio I learned that Delacroix was Cézanne's hero.  It was interesting to see that Cézanne had a reproduction of Delacroix that he also used as a study for inspiration that he then recreated in his own unique style.  This lineage of inspiration is so meaningful to me.   As I previously mentioned, having reproductions from Paris in my studio always inspires me to create new works of art in my own style.  I am not alone in this, it is the right of passage for artists thoughout time...