The Murder is one of Cézanne’s early paintings, an unusually dramatic piece which conveys the brutality of the act. The murderer is lifting his hand ready to give the final strike while his collaborator is using all the force of her heavy and rounded body to keep the victim down.

The body of the victim has almost disappeared, only its outline head and arms are distinct under the ferocious force of the two murderers. The murderers have no faces, but the victim is contorted with pain.

Cézanne is not concerned with the identities of the murderers; they could be anybody. Cézanne presents the act as one of anonymous violence; their crime is given no explanation.

The threatening sky, the suggestion of a riverbank where the body will be thrown, and the desolate surrounding space all contribute to the menacing nature of the scene.

The Murder was painted at a time when Cézanne was still under the influence of Old Masters such as Gericault and Diego Velazquez. The early period of his work is often characterized as the romantic one. In “The Murder” the time is the present, even though space remains ambiguous. The work is realistic mainly because of the choice of theme rather than the treatment of the paint.

Cézanne’s choice of this brutal subject may have been inspired by Zola’s novel “Thérèse Racquin” (published in 1867) in which the heroine murders her husband. The painting’s similarity with illustrations in the popular press suggests that they too could have been a source of inspiration.

The three figures in “The Murder” form a triangle whose parallel sides are forces in opposing directions: the murderer is lifting his hand ready to give the final blow while his collaborator is using all her strength to keep the victim down. The body of the victim has almost disappeared under the force of the two murderers.

The sweeping movement of the male murderer, obvious in his jacket and legs, conveys the power of the moment. His hands and legs are elongated and distorted for the same effect. The handling of paint is heavy and in many parts rounded, for example in the arms of the collaborator, foretelling of the luminous volumes of Cézanne’s more famous landscapes.

Cézanne repeated the theme of “The Murder” in a watercolor (now in a private collection) dated around 1874-75. The watercolor has the same composition, but the murderer’s face is no longer hidden and the victim is raising her hand in supplication. In the watercolour, the landscape is specific and resembles the views of L’Estaque, a small town in southern France, featured in many paintings by Cézanne.

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Paint by Number kits 

Paint by Number kits aren’t just for kids. Our Paint by Number kits for adults feature real canvases with detailed line art to fill in. Each section is labeled with a small number to show you the correct paint color so artists of all ages and experience levels can achieve impressive results. Imagine color by numbers taken to the next level!

We carefully handpick every design to offer you a splendid and unique paint. Using our Canvas by Numbers Paint By Numbers Kits is more than just a hobby. It’s the best way to discover your artistic talent and have a relaxing, rewarding and enjoyable experience.

• Get this do-it-yourself Van-Go paint by number kit and make this your next creative project!
• This kit is custom designed for creative artists who want to test their skills!
• Follow the patterns provided, or let your inner artist free and make your own creations!
• Measures – see below.
• Includes 1 x canvas, 3 x nylon brushes, and 1 x set of acrylic paints.

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