Art History 101: History of Pyramid of Skulls by Paul Cézanne
For every painting I recreate on a pair of jeans, I give a mini art history lesson on Instagram in the caption.
I received a minor in History of Art and Architecture from the University of California Santa Barbara, which is the basis of my art history lessons. I spend hours researching each painting to provide a well-rounded lesson, although not entirely comprehensive.
The tricky thing about art history is that there are many interpretations of a single artwork. That is what makes it so fascinating!
Skulls in art first originated from the Aztecs! They would carve skulls into stone for their Gods. The skull was, to them, a “promise of resurrection,” a symbol of death, and a celebration of life.
When the Spanish invaded Mexico, they put a stop to skull art and symbols because they thought they were too pagan. Skull art did not begin again until Mexico won its independence from Spain in 1821!
Mexico has celebrated the deaths of their ancestors for a few thousand years; the celebration is known today as Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Sugar Skulls are commonly seen during this celebration.
Diego Rivera (left) and Frida Kahlo (right) are two well-known Mexican artists who often included skulls in their artwork.
Another type of painting that also features skulls is called “vanitas.” Vanitas is a genre of Dutch paintings that depict symbols of death.
Most commonly, these types of paintings include skulls, rotten fruit, hourglasses, or other items that symbolize death, decay, or time passing. Vanitas is meant to remind viewers of the inevitability of death.
While Cézanne’s painting, Pyramid of Skulls, was not considered a “vanitas" painting, he may have been thinking about death while he painted it (so ominous!).
Pyramid of Skulls by Paul Cezanne
This painting is titled “Pyramid of Skulls” by Paul Cézanne c. 1901, created in his Aix, France studio. It’s relatively small at just 37cm x 45.5cm (about 14.5” x 18”).
Based on his letters to friends and family, as well as statements made by friends during the last 10 years of his life, Cézanne often talked about death and appeared to be depressed. It was during this dark time in his life that he painted the Pyramid of Skulls.
He also painted other works depicting motifs of death — in both oil and watercolor. Before this oil masterpiece, Cézanne painted a watercolor study, titled Three Skulls, which later became the inspiration for Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol.
Three Skulls by Paul Cézanne, 1902–1906 (The Art Institute of Chicago).
Cézanne had three skulls in his studio that he set up as a still life to create this painting. The actual skulls he created this painting from are still at his studio in Aix, but the painting itself is in a private collection.
Although there are only three skulls in the studio, the painting depicts four. Do you see them all?
Cézanne worked during the Post-Impressionist era, alongside other well-known artists, such as Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin.
See Head of a Skeleton with a Burning Cigarette by Vincent van Gogh (left) and Bonjour, Monsieur by Paul Gauguin (right) below.
Post-Impressionism was created out of a reaction against Impressionism.
While Impressionism grew from artists wanting to create more naturalism and paintings that captured fleeting light (e.g., dusk or dawn), Post-Impressionism focused more on structure and symbolism.
At the time, Cézanne and the other Post-Impressionist artists were not considered part of an art movement. It wasn’t until 1910, when Roger Fry coined the term “Post-Impressionism,” that these artists were grouped together as one era.
Paul Cézanne created more than one painting depicting the skulls he had as props in his studio, as I mentioned earlier. Below are two of the other skull paintings he’s done.
The Three Skulls ca. 1898 by Paul Cézanne (Detroit Institute of Arts)
Three Skulls on a Patterned Carpet, c. 1904 by Paul Cézanne (Private Collection).
Sources
Voorhies, James. “Post-Impressionism.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/poim/hd_poim.htm (October 2004).
“Girl with Death Mask, 1938 - by Frida Kahlo.” Fridakahlo.Org, 2009, www.fridakahlo.org/girl-with-death-mask.jsp.
“Impressionism and Post-Impressionism | Oxford Art.” Oxfordartonline.Com, Oxford University Press, 2019, www.oxfordartonline.com/page/impressionism-and-post-impressionism/impressionism-and-postimpressionism.
“Pyramid of Skulls.” Wikipedia, Wikipedia Commons, 1 July 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramid_of_Skulls.
“Pyramid of Skulls, 1901 by Paul Cezanne.” Www.Paulcezanne.Org, www.paulcezanne.org/pyramid-of-skulls.jsp.
“Pyramid of Skulls by Paul Cezanne.” Www.Cezannepaintings.Org, www.cezannepaintings.org/pyramid-of-skulls/. Accessed 31 Aug. 2020.