As arguably the greatest ever painter to emerge from France during any period, Paul Cezanne has a body of work to rival some of the finest artists of his or any other generation. Cezanne fell into the unfortunate bracket of artists who didn’t quite have the same acclaim and hysteria surrounding their work as other artists did then. Father Time has been kind to Cezanne, and although he might not have received the same posthumous appraisal as his fellow countryman Monet, the fact he was so highly rated amongst his peers, including Monet, during his career highlights just why he’s arguably the most important Post-Impressionist artists
Cezanne used many different artists and themes as inspiration. He is regarded as a trailblazing artist who refused to compromise with societal norms to try and get his art displayed at some of France’s finest galleries. Cezanne’s commitment to authenticity may have resulted in his unspoken blacklisting. Still, upon reflection, it’s the sign of an uncompromising figure who placed his works and their value as highly as many people valued them, mainly after his death.
Did Cezanne Use Blackjack Games As An Inspiration?
The Card Players is one of his finest and most expensive bodies of work. The ironic setting of well-dressed, intelligent, and level-headed card players playing games like blackjack acted in direct competition with a lot of card-based themes of the time, where card players and casino gamblers were depicted as people lower down in society, with far less decorum, frequenting the taverns and casinos of France. Of course, there have been no significant changes in blackjack over the years, and the rules have remained largely the same, but how people play the game has changed immensely.
The most obvious change is that instead of taverns and bars, millions of us now choose a more convenient and streamlined approach to playing blackjack online, given the incredible advancements in modern-day game design and technology. Ignition casino blackjack allows you multiple avenues to playthe legendary card game, so even over a century after Cezanne’s incredible set of oil paintings, blackjack is still arguably more popular than ever.
It’s unlikely Cezanne would comprehend how the game of blackjack would evolve, but herein probably lies the greatest triumph of the painting. For all the ways society and casinos have approached card games and the way the focus is now predominantly online, The Card Players still has a timeless feel and truly encapsulates the setting and aura of a blackjack game.
From a basic perspective, Cezanne used the trials and tribulations of tavern gamblers as inspiration. Still, there’s nothing to suggest from art or art historians that he was adept at blackjack or whether he even played the game. As somebody often considered a recluse, card games intrigued Cezanne. Given the intimate, social setting for many games, there is a bittersweetness about his work that likely fuels the mystique surrounding many of the five paintings that make up The Card Players.
This intrigue and aura still make Cezanne one of the most captivating French painters to have ever lived, with many exhibitions still dedicated to his work, over 100 years after his passing.
Other Notable Card-Based Paintings
The Bezique Game will have likely influenced The Card Players, as Gustave Caillebotte was part of the same highly-esteemed French artists who operated simultaneously as Cezanne. While Caillebotte has a highly celebrated body of work, other paintings in his repertoire receive more plaudits. Other notable card-based works include Fernand Leger’s Soldiers Playing Cards and Balthus’s card game, the most recent card-based painting with anywhere near the same level of acclaim as The Card Players – highlighted by the fact one of the five paintings became the most expensive painting of all time a decade ago.
Final Opinion
The Card Players is the most significant piece of art Cezanne ever comprised. It’s a magnificent, glowing achievement and is one of the most spectacular relics of French art, regardless of era. It is a piece that generates incredible intrigue and continues to captivate, even despite its initially simplistic theme and appearance.
While art critics and fans have dissected the incredible set of paintings, given that it is one of few paintings to have fetched over $200 million at auction, Cezanne’s work continues to grow in stature and prominence. It shows that having conviction and authenticity might not always win short-term battles, but if you pour your heart and soul into your passion, this will often pay dividends.
Unfortunately, it is a sad shame that Cezanne isn’t around to see how loved his works are, but his paintings will live on for generations. He is rightly revered as one of France’s greatest ever – so in answer to the question, yes, The Card Players is quite comfortably the best card-based piece of art ever created.
