In 1896, Paul Cézanne went on holiday with his wife and son to the French Alps. This view of a mountain lake near the Swiss border was the only painting he made during the trip. He struggled with what he considered an overly charming setting, which contrasted with the rugged landscape of his native Provence. However, it resulted in one of his most daring paintings. Cézanne explored his surroundings in terms of form and colour. He turned the distant castle into a strict geometric shape and rendered the light and shadow on the mountain slopes with contrasting blocks of colour.

Accession Number: P.1932.SC.60  

Provenance:

Purchased from the artist by Ambroise Vollard, Paris, 1897; C Hoogendijk, Amsterdam; Paul Rosenberg, Paris; Marcel Kapferer, Paris; Berheim-Jeune, Paris; The Independent Gallery; purchased by Samuel Courtauld, January 1926; Courtauld Gift, 1932