The Card Players
The artist
Paul Cezanne, a French painter whose careful, blocky style helped open the door to modern art.
What you see
Two quiet farm workers sit at a small table, facing each other, deep in a friendly game of cards.
The story
Cezanne made several versions of this scene in the early 1890s, using local people from near his home as his models.
The style
He built the figures from patient patches of color, making them feel as solid and still as stone.
Look closer
Notice how the two men lean toward each other, and how a single bottle on the table splits the picture in the middle.
Where to see it
Different versions hang in famous museums, including the Musee d'Orsay in Paris and the Courtauld Gallery in London.
Fun fact
One version of The Card Players became one of the most expensive paintings ever sold.