Banknote Billet France 100 francs Paul Cézanne 1998

The 100 francs Cézanne banknote is an issue of the Banque de France dating from 1997, with an official year of issue of 1998. It bears the series letter P, which serves as a specific identification element within the production of this type of banknote.

This banknote pays tribute to the Post-Impressionist painter Paul Cézanne (1839?1906), a major figure in French and world art history, considered one of the forerunners of the avant-garde movements of the 20th century. His work, deeply rooted in the Provençal region, exerted a considerable influence on artistic movements such as Cubism and Fauvism.

On the obverse of the banknote appears the portrait of Paul Cézanne, accompanied by reproductions of his most iconic works, including depictions of the Mont Sainte-Victoire, a recurring motif in his painting, as well as elements evoking his still lifes with apples. The colour palette of the banknote is rendered in warm tones, dominated by ochres and oranges, in reference to the artist's pictorial universe.

On the reverse, the graphic composition also references Cézanne's artistic world, with partial reproductions of his paintings and architectural elements typical of Provence, the region where the painter lived and worked for a large part of his life.

This 100 francs banknote belongs to the last major series of French franc banknotes, before the transition to the European single currency, the euro, in 2002. It is today considered a collectible item representative of French numismatics at the end of the 20th century. Its letter P allows collectors to identify it and distinguish it from other specimens of the same series issued under different letters.