This book examines the genesis Cezanne’s great works took through his drawings and sketches. Like many artists, Paul Cezanne started his great paintings by sketching his ideas on paper. This book recreates some of Cezanne’s sketchbooks as it delves into the Kunstmuseum Basel’s collection of drawings by Cezanne — the most comprehensive and significant collection of the artist’s drawings in the world. Rarely presented in exhibitions, these works introduce readers to the nucleus of Cezanne’s creative thinking, allowing us to observe his everyday practice as a draftsman. Scenes of violence appear side by side with portrait sketches; copies after Eugene Delacroix or ancient sculptures alternate with landscapes and bathers. Repeated studies varying only slightly in perspective and angle help us understand how Cezanne strove to find the right approach to his subject. Featuring his drawings as well as his great paintings and accompanied by a series of essays that explore how Cezanne used his sketchbooks as preparation for landscapes, portraits, and still-lifes, this book offers fascinating insights into the creative process of a master.