Like many artists, Paul C?zanne started his great paintings by sketching his ideas on paper. This book recreates some of C?zanne’s sketchbooks as it delves into the Kunstmuseum Basel’s collection of drawings by C?zanne—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 C?zanne’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 Eug?ne Delacroix or ancient sculptures alternate with landscapes and bathers. Repeated studies varying only slightly in perspective and angle help us understand how C?zanne 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 C?zanne used his sketchbooks as preparation for landscapes, portraits, and still-lifes, this book offers fascinating insights into the creative process of a master.