Rilke’sprayerfulresponsestothefrenchmaster’sbeseechingartForalongtimenothing,andthensuddenlyonehastherighteyes.Virtuallyeverydayinthefallof1907,RainerMariaRilkereturnedtoaParisgallerytoviewaCezanneexhibition.Nearlyasfrequently,hewrotedenseandjoyfulletterstohiswife,ClaraWesthoff,expressinghisdismaybeforethepaintingsandhisensuingrevelationsaboutartandlife.Rilkewasknowledgeableaboutartandhadevenpublishedmonographs,includingafamousstudyofRodinthatinspiredhisNewPoems.ButCezanne’simpactonhimcouldnotbeconveyedinatraditionalessay.Rilke’ssenseofkinshipwithCezanneprovidesapowerfulandprescientundercurrentintheseletters--passagesfromthemappearverbatiminRilke’sgreatmodernistnovel,TheNotebooksofMalteLauridsBrigge.LettersonCezanneisacollectionofmeaningfullyprivateresponsestoaradicallynewart.
