Avenue at Chantilly

This is one of several paintings dating from Cézanne's visit to Chantilly, north of Paris, in 1888, and was probably painted in the park surrounding the Château.

The basic design was sketched first in pencil, then overlaid with freely painted patches of colour. The warm grey priming visible in places is an integral part of the overall colour scheme. Darker touches of blue and green help define trees and fences; the final effect depends on subtle nuances of colours animating the surface.