Next Thursday is the public opening of the Philadelphia Museum of Art's long-awaited "Cezanne and Beyond," an exhibit of 40 paintings and 20 watercolors and drawings by Cezanne, along with works by other artists, from Picasso and Bonnard to Matisse and Mondrian, who built on his legacy.
Chefs from at least three local restaurants, including the museum's, are celebrating Cezanne with special menus through May 17, the exhibit's closing date.
"It's always the goal in our menus to create a lively conversation between great special exhibitions and great food, and 'Cezanne and Beyond' particularly lent itself to that dialogue," said Museum Restaurant executive chef J.C. Nunez, a graduate of the French Culinary Institute in New York City who was a chef for six years in Philadelphia before coming to the museum 2 1/2 years ago.
Sur la table Provencal
Provence, in the southeast, is different from many other regions of France because of its Mediterranean climate. There's an Italian flavor to the food grown and harvested here. Olives, almonds, artichokes, shellfish and especially squid are among the staples.
Some of the most popular Provence dishes in Cezanne's day have endured. Bouillabaisse, a fish stew in tomato broth, is as common there as cheesesteaks are here. Ratatouille, a Provencal stew, is rich in vegetables and served as a summer favorite. Coq au vin, braised chicken steeped in red wine and vegetables, is another staple.
Cezanne's still lifes often depicted precarious arrangements of pears, apples, cherries and other produce in ways that conveyed the food's abundance and beauty, according to the exhibit's adjunct curator Katherine Sachs. "The fruit was arranged on tables with lavish cloths, and the fruit was placed on the table in such a way so you just don't know how it's staying still."
