Artist DNA: Ingres, Cezanne, Pissarro and Matisse

Paul-Cezanne-The-Blue-Vase-1889-1890

Ingres

Matisse  recalling a visit to the Salon des Independants with Pissarro, "I can still hear old father Pissarro exclaiming at the Independants, in front of a very beautiful still life by Cezanne, representing a blue water pot in fluted glass in the style of Neopoleon III, a harmony in blue, 'It's so like Ingres!' Once I got over my surprise, I found -- and I still   find -- that he was right." The painting gave birth to Matisse's painting, "The Blue Window." [Hilary Spurling, "The Unknown Matisse"] While Hilary Spurling believes that the quote is referring to Cezanne's "The Blue Vase", I believe that since it is described as  being in the style of Napoleon III, Matisse is referring instead to this painting of a vase of flowers.  The relationship to Ingres seems more obvious, too.

Cezanne - Vase of Flowers

Matisse_Henri-The_Blue_Window