Meaning in Cezanne's still-life paintings.

Abstract

This dissertation examines Paul Cezanne's still-lifes and proposes that the interpretation of meaning in these works depends upon the analysis of their stylistic elements. In Chapter 1 it is argued that the relationship between meaning and interpretation in the discipline of Art History is a complex one. An examination of the recent theoretical literature offers valuable insights into the ways in which art historians have assessed this relationship and the ramifications not only for the discipline, but for the Interpretation of Cezanne's still-lifes. The different ways in which scholars have interpreted Cezanne's oeuvre (particularly in relation to formalist approaches) are examined in the overview of the Cezanne literature in Chapter II. It is suggested that the existing body of interpretations in the literature forms an important part of a work's meaning and that therefore, the meaning of Cezanne's still-lifes should not be considered in an historical vacuum. furthermore, it is argued that the formalist interpretation of Cezanne's still-lifes warrants reevaluation, In Chapter III selected still-lifes are analyzed. The traditional art: historical dichotomy, reflected in the Cezanne literature, between 'form' and 'content', is challenged, The genre of still-life is contextualized in relation to Cezanne's other genres to substantiate the notion of a 'drama of style' evident in the still-lifes. It is argued that a stylistic approach to the still-lifes reveals both the importance of style in the interpretation of meaning in the still-lifes and the notion of artistic process evident in these works.