Study of Houses

Paul Cezanne

National Gallery of Art

The image displays a pencil sketch depicting buildings from a slightly elevated perspective. The horizon is implied rather than explicitly drawn, with structures rising near its line and receding into an undefined space beyond. The sketch uses simple, loose pencil strokes to create an impressionistic style, with vertical lines suggesting the form and volume of the buildings. The overall palette is monochromatic, dominated by grey tones against the off-white background of the paper. Closest to us, the vertical lines of the facades and doorways are more pronounced, while in the distance, the strokes become less defined, blending the forms into the implied horizon.