Who painted Kerosene Lamp?

Kerosene Lamp was painted by Paul Cezanne in 1880.

Where can I see Kerosene Lamp?

Kerosene Lamp is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Kerosene Lamp?

Kerosene Lamp is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Kerosene Lamp

Paul Cezanne , 1880

Kerosene Lamp is a graphite drawing by the Impressionist artist Paul Cezanne. It dates from 1880 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Paul Cézanne’s drawing titled Kerosene Lamp was executed in 1880. Rendered in graphite on wove paper, the work belongs to the artist’s early period when he was exploring the possibilities of drawing as a means of investigating form and light. The piece presents a solitary lamp, its glow suggested through delicate shading, offering a quiet study of everyday objects.

Technique & Style

Cézanne employed graphite to build subtle tonal variations across the paper, using fine hatching and cross-hatching to convey the lamp’s three-dimensionality. The drawing reflects his interest in structural composition, with the lamp rendered in simplified geometric planes that anticipate his later, more painterly investigations of volume and perspective.

Subject & Meaning

The work focuses on a single kerosene lamp, an object common in domestic settings of the late nineteenth century. By isolating the lamp, Cézanne transforms a mundane item into a study of light, shadow, and materiality, inviting contemplation of how ordinary objects can be rendered with formal rigor.

History & Provenance

Created in 1880, Kerosene Lamp belongs to Cézanne’s formative years, a time when he was establishing his reputation in the Parisian art world. The drawing has passed through private collections before entering a public institution, where it is catalogued as part of the artist’s early graphic oeuvre.

Context

During the 1880s, Cézanne was shifting from the Impressionist emphasis on fleeting effects toward a more analytical approach to form. This drawing exemplifies his transition, employing a modest medium to explore the underlying structure of objects—a concern that would later define his mature paintings.