A stunning, digital immersive exhibition of French artist and post-Impressionist painter Paul Cézanne (1839-1906) is being held at the Pingshan Exhibition Gallery.

The exhibition, titled “Cézanne: The Four Seasons,” presents a 35-minute short video that narrates the life story of the artist in four seasons from winter to spring based on Cézanne’s masterpieces portraying his beloved landscapes of Provence, his melancholic portraits and famous still life paintings. While viewing the artworks swirling around you, you will feel like you are inside the artistic mind of one of the greatest modern painters of all time.

A scene at the exhibition. Photos by Wang Haolan

Bi Yu, curator of the exhibition, said that the production team of the video has extracted different elements of more than 1,000 works of Cézanne to reconstruct the landscape of Provence in the way as the artist saw it.

“We hope this exhibition can bring the art of Cézanne to more people. It’s not easy for the public to see the original works of Cézanne. But rendered into a digital protected work like this, the art of Cézanne becomes more accessible for the general public,” said Bi.

The exhibition reveals the power of Cézanne’s compositions, his approach to light and color and his link with nature which was his greatest source of inspiration. The visitors will be immersed in the vast canopy of the trees, forests, parks and gardens at the exhibition. Cézanne’s paintings are also deeply and completely sincere, conveying his uncertainty and passion.

Visitors will view representations that reflect the artist’s personal life: the self-portraits that capture his inner torment, the sobriety that resulted from the slow pace of daily life in Aix-en-Provence, and the intimacy of his studio.

Cézanne’s works laid the foundations of the transition from the 19th-century conception of artistic endeavor to a new and radically different world of art in the 20th century.

Cézanne was a self-taught artist. In his lifetime, he produced more than 900 canvases and 400 watercolors. He adopted the impressionism techniques of painting landscapes and using bright colors and coarse brushstrokes. He soon developed his own artistic expression of form and color. He started capturing his subjects from a more abstract viewpoint, unknowingly laying the groundwork to the future art movements of Cubism and Fauvism.

Ironically though, Cézanne sold very few of his paintings during his lifetime. After his death, his artworks gained immense recognition by serious art collectors, influential people and institutions in the art world. He became hailed as the pioneer of modern art.

Dates: Until Aug. 31

Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m., closed Mondays

Tickets: 78-118 yuan, various discounts for families

Venue: Pingshan Exhibition Gallery, Pingshan District (坪山展览馆)

Metro: Line 14 to Pingshan Square Station (坪山广场站), Exit D1