\paperw19995 \margr0\margl0 \plain \fs20 \f1 The self-enclosed world of \i The\i0 \i Card Players\i0 , whose iconography is derived from the scenes painted by followers
of Caravaggio in the seventeenth century, serves as a pretext for a study of line and volume.\par
The setting is contemporary. In fact the two card players are wearing modern clothes and are seated inside a room, probably in a bar.\par
CΘzanneÆs repr
esentation of the human figures he has taken a nonacademic approach to their anatomies. The proportions of the menÆs bodies no longer conform to the canons of classical beauty. For example, the man on the left looks unnaturally tall.\par
This impressi
on is reinforced by the optical illusion created by his hat.\par
The workÆs planes are made up of broad sweeps of color that fill the space of the composition with their energy. In fact CΘzanneÆs use of color is characterized by this force.\par
The pa
inting is dominated by a warm shade of brown that fades into softer and grayish tones in the clothing of the player on the right, but takes on a more brilliant hue in the tablecloth.
