The Bunch of Flowers

1901–1903

The Studio on the Chemin des Lauves

In 1901 he bought a plot of land north of Aix, in 1902 built a studio there to his own specifications (now the Atelier de Cézanne), and moved in in 1903; a long narrow slot was cut into the wall to admit natural light for the large "Bathers."

29 September 1902

Death of Émile Zola

Zola's death plunged Cézanne into mourning, despite their long estrangement.

1903

Debut at the Salon d'Automne

He exhibited for the first time at the newly founded Salon d'Automne in Paris.

9 March 1903

Rochefort's Article "The Love of Ugliness"

Henri Rochefort published a scathing article in L'Intransigeant on the paintings of "the ultra-Impressionist Cézanne"; for days, outraged residents of Aix left copies of the newspaper at the artist's door demanding that he leave town.

1904

Visit from Émile Bernard

The painter and theorist Émile Bernard stayed with Cézanne for a month and in July published an article about him in the journal L'Occident; their correspondence continued until Cézanne's death.

15 October – 15 November 1904

A Cézanne Room at the Salon d'Automne: First Triumph

An entire room of the Salon d'Automne in Paris was devoted to Cézanne's works; this retrospective became the artist's first real success — indeed, a triumph.