Rocks in the Forest

C�zanne exhibited with the Impressionists in 1874, and though he shared their plein air approach, he was preoccupied by other aims. While they sought to capture the fleeting impression of a casual glance, he often emphasized the forms and patterns that build the structure of a scene. He sought to reveal the inner geometry of nature.

The present scene showing rocks in a forest is thought to have been observed during one of C�zanne’s working trips to the forest of Fontainebleau, sometime around 1893. Characteristic of his work at this time are the purplish-gray tone of the painting and the thin layers of pigment applied in a manner reminiscent of watercolour technique.