Lost Earth

Callow (Vincent Van Gogh: A Life) portrays Cezanne (1839-1906) as a tragic figure who lived in a personal hell that belies the greatness of his art. A difficult, often boorish man who had a morbid fear of emotional and physical contact, especially with women, he escaped into painting because he was unable to deal with the real world. He had few friends--even his long, close relationship with his childhood companion, novelist mile Zola, ended badly--and he was for most of his life financially dependent on an autocratic father for whom he had little affection. His early paintings of violent murders, abductions and rapes reflect these inner torments. Callow shows that the theme of bathers to which Cezanne often returned was an attempt to recapture the halcyon days of his youth in Provence, the ``lost earth'' that ``burned in him for the rest of his days and fueled his art.'' He also demonstrates that it was under the calming influence of painter Camille Pissarro that he turned to the meditative landscapes and still lifes that were to have a revolutionary effect on the development of painting. Callow's depiction of Cezanne's character is convincing, but his analyses of the paintings fail to capture the essence of the artist's genius. Illustrations not seen by PW. (Sept.)