Antoine Dominique Sauveur Aubert (born 1817), the Artist's Uncle, as a Monk

Antoine Dominique Sauveur Aubert (born 1817), the Artist's Uncle, as a Monk is a dramatic portrait executed by Paul Cézanne in 1866. This large-scale oil on canvas is characteristic of Cézanne’s early "Dark Period," defined by thick impasto, a restricted palette dominated by blacks, browns, and ochres, and remarkably vigorous brushwork often applied with a palette knife. The work depicts the artist’s maternal uncle, Antoine Dominique Sauveur Aubert, who posed willingly for Cézanne dressed in the austere habit of a monk.

The painting features a powerful study of the male figure, emphasizing the dark, voluminous folds of the cowl surrounding the subject’s illuminated face. This strong contrast between light and shadow heightens the intensity of the gaze, reflecting the influence of Spanish Baroque masters admired by the young French painter. The solemnity of the monk costume is underscored by the prominent inclusion of a cross, lending the portrait a weighty, almost theatrical quality.

Cézanne frequently relied on friends and family members for his early portraits, using these studies to develop his expressive technique before moving toward the systematic, structural approach of his later years. Although the image captures a posed subject, the psychological depth suggests more than a simple costume study. This significant early painting by Cézanne is a foundational piece and resides within the comprehensive collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. High-quality prints of this early masterwork are frequently sought by art enthusiasts and available in the public domain.