Les Voleurs et l'âne

Painted c.1869-1870 and now in Milan at the Galleria d'arte moderna, Les Voleurs et l'âne belongs to Cézanne's dark, Romantic early period when he was working under the influence of Delacroix and Courbet rather than the Impressionists. The subject — thieves and a donkey — is drawn from the fable tradition and represents his early engagement with narrative painting, which he would later abandon entirely in favour of landscapes, still lifes, and figures in nature. The heavy impasto, dramatic tonal contrasts, and turbulent composition reflect a young painter in the throes of discovering his resources, not yet having found the systematic method of his maturity.

The paint is applied thickly with palette knife as well as brush, creating a heavily textured surface unlike the more measured later work. Dark tones dominate, with dramatic highlights of pale impasto suggesting lantern or moonlight. The composition is energetic and somewhat restless, reflecting Delacroix's influence rather than the still, structural approach of Cézanne's mature period.