This painting shows a group of men who are preparing to bathe or swim in a river. The disproportionate figures, with small faceless heads, suggest that the artist was reacting against the anatomical perfection admired by the Academy. Instead, this is a study of colors and movements, with visible brushstrokes. In the background, we can vaguely see Mount Sainte-Victoire, to which Cézanne devoted a series of paintings.
