
The mid-19th century art world was transformed by a group of French impressionist painters. These men revolutionized the conventional Paris salon, which was slow to recognize their collective genius. Among them was Paul Cezanne, who grew up in southern France. An artistic late bloomer, Cezanne didn’t decide to become a painter until age 21. He was tormented by self-doubt and an obsessive drive to paint what he called “truth.” Rejected by the Paris salon for 40 years, Cézanne is now considered one of the greatest painters who ever lived. A new biography on the life and art of Paul Cézanne.
Excerpted from "Cezanne" by Alex Danchev. Copyright © 2012 by Alex Danchev. Excerpted by permission of Pantheon, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

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