Paul Cezanne, "Card Players"

Paul Cézanne, The Card Players, c.1892-96; The Courtauld Institute, London.

First of all, there are two of these! They're both authentic and at first glance appear identical. However, a closer inspection reveals small differences. The one below is at the Musée d'Orsay. Look at the cards in the players' hands in each painting. In the Courtauld painting, there seem to be more cards, more well defined. In the Orsay painting, the wine bottle on the table is clearly outlined, whereas in the Courtauld work, the bottle is in shadow. Other small details allow us to tell the two works apart. Note that the Courtauld's painting was featured in a well-received exhibition there in 2011. 

Paul Cézanne, The Card Players, c.1890-95; ©Musée d'Orsay, Paris.

It's possible that many art lovers and art vendors aren't aware of the two different paintings, and are therefore doubly confused by versions they see online, whether accurate or altered. In fact, that might explain why the reproduction below — apart from the extensive changes in coloring — appears to have merged the two works. For example, the wine bottle in the recent update is darker than it is in the Orsay painting, but more well defined than we see at the Courtauld. The bottom of the painting seems to have been cropped out, also. In addition, many objects on the shelf behind the players seem to have disappeared, and there are some additional items and details in the background that don't appear in either of the originals. 

Modern artwork based on two Cézanne paintings known as "The Card Players."

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