Even now, the great cathedrals of the Middle Ages overwhelm us by their imagination, technical daring and sheer scale. How could such structures be built when cities had only a few thousand inhabitants and only the most primitive machinery was available? Who initiated them? Who designed them? Who paid for them? Through the documentary records that remain (many of which are quoted at length), and drawings and details from contemporary art, we are led into the extraordinary world of the medieval master mason.

Paul Cezanne - a solitary genius who overcame opposition from his family, friends and the official Salon - made painting the sole preoccupation of his life. He worked unceasingly to realize his vision of a 'harmony parallel to nature', investigating the logic of colours and re-creating space. Mocked by Parisian critics, he withdrew to Provence where he laboured quietly until a later generation hailed him as the father of a new art. Here is his story, told in his own words, in those of his friends, and in the accolades of great artists, philosophers and critics.