Gustave Boyer (b. 1840) in a Straw Hat

Description

Gustave Boyer in a Straw Hat turns toward the viewer beneath a warm, broad-brimmed hat. Dark clothing and pronounced sideburns frame the illuminated face, while the subdued background keeps the encounter direct. The brushwork is broad and visible, giving the portrait a frank, forceful character.

Paul Cézanne painted his boyhood friend, the lawyer Gustave Boyer, in 1870–71. Executed in oil on paper later laid down on canvas, the work combines weighty dark tones with the bright ocher of the hat. The restrained setting makes the sitter’s alert expression the center of attention.

Read our guide to giclée prints or browse the Paul Cézanne collection.