Paul Cézanne: Pierrot and Harlequin (Mardi Gras)

Pierrot and Harlequin, owned by the Pushkin Museum in Russia, is one of Cézanne’s most famous pictures. Its French name Mardi Gras reminds us of the last day in the Shrovetide festival. The traditional characters of the Italian commedia dell’arte act out in front of spectators the eternal conflict of two different temperaments. The melancholy reverie of Pierrot, whose fragile white figure seems to be made of plaster, contrasts with the confident, agile stride of Harlequin. It is the only example of Cézanne tackling this type of subject, yet his innovatory philosophical treatment greatly influenced subsequent generations of artists.