Top 100 - Nabis
Nabis: 100 famous paintings where color becomes decor
Sérusier, Bonnard, Vuillard, Maurice Denis, Vallotton, Ranson and their loved ones: when painting leaves the illusionist window to become surface, rhythm and inhabited room.
The Nabis appeared at the end of the 19th century with a bright idea: a painting does not need to pretend to be a window to be deep. Here, a wall, dress and wallpaper can have as much personality as a main character, making decorative family reunions much more interesting.
Flat, interior and prophets in jackets
One hundred paintings that made the surface deeper
The Nabi group is formed around young artists marked by Gauguin, Pont-Aven, synthetism, Japanese prints and symbolism. Their name comes from the Hebrew nabi, prophet, which is ambitious for painters often very busy with tablecloths, rooms, gardens and decorative panels. But the ambition is real: to release color, simplify shapes, assert the surface of the painting and give the decor poetic power.
The Nabis do not paint a window open to the world: they remind us that the painting is first and foremost a surface covered in colors. The wall understands immediately; perspective, a little less.Switch to images
Classification in images
Sérusier, Gauguin, Vallotton, Bonnard, Vuillard and Denis opened with the paintings that gave the movement its most lasting images.
#1
The Talisman
For "Le Talisman", painted in 1888 in Pont-Aven under the leadership of Gauguin, this small landscape transforms trees and rivers into flat areas of color; its modest size in no way prevents its ambition as a manifesto. Sérusier treats "Le Talisman" as an organization of colored signs: the observed motif remains present, but the surface affirms its own logic. In "Le Talisman", the work is dated 1888; it is kept at the Musée d’Orsay; it measures 27 x 21.5 cm. For "Le Talisman", the work is dated 1888; it is kept at the Musée d’Orsay; it measures 27 x 21.5 cm. For "Le Talisman" by Paul Sérusier, the eye measures 27 x 21.5 cm. For "Le Talisman" by Paul Sérusier, the eye measures 27 x 21.5 cm. For "Le Talisman" by Paul Sérusier, the eye measures 27 x 21.5 cm. For "Le Talisman" by Paul Sérusier, the eye measures 27 x 21.5 cm. For "Le Talisman" by Paul Sérusier, the eye measures 27 x 21.5 cm. For "Le Talisman", the work is dated 1888; it is kept at the Musée d’Orsay; it measures 27 x 21.5 cm acts as a small starting point: it announces a pattern, a situation or a presence that the painting then transforms into a visual experience.
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#2
Vision after the sermon
For "Vision after the sermon", the Bretons see the fight of Jacob and the angel beyond a red trunk which cuts the scene; Gauguin thus separates collective experience from the ordinary world with a spectacular economy of means. Gauguin gives "Vision after the sermon" firm contours and flat areas full of memory; reality becomes the starting point of a mental image. In "Vision after the sermon", the work is dated 1888; it is kept at the National Galleries of Scotland; it measures 72.2 x 91 cm. In "Vision after the sermon", the work is dated 1888; it is kept at the National Galleries of Scotland; it measures 72.2 x 91 cm. For "Vision after the sermon", the work is dated 1888; it is kept at the National Galleries of Scotland; it measures 72.2 x 91 cm. In "Vision after the sermon", the work is dated 1888; it is kept at the National Galleries of Scotland; it measures 72.2 x 91 cm. In "Vision after the sermon", the work is dated 1888; it is kept at the National Galleries of Scotland; it measures 72.2 x 91 cm. In "Vision after the sermon", the work is dated 1888; it is kept at the National Galleries of Scotland; it measures 72.2 x 91 cm. In "Vision after the sermon", the work is dated 1888; its true tempo. In "Vision after the sermon" by Paul Gauguin, the subject retains enough presence and light to avoid the impression of a simple decorative variant.
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#3
The Balloon
The bird's eye view reduces the garden to large light and dark areas as a child runs behind his balloon; Vallotton makes an almost abstract composition from a simple moment; the rhythm leads the gaze without rigidity. Vallotton cuts out "Le Ballon" with sharp silhouettes, sharp angles and a psychological distance which transforms the scene into a small social enigma. In "Le Ballon", the work is dated 1899; it is kept at the Musée d'Orsay; it measures 49.5 x 61.5 cm. For "Le Ballon" by Félix Vallotton, the work is dated 1899; it is kept at the Musée d'Orsay; it measures 49.5 x 61.5 cm. For "Le Ballon" by Félix Vallotton, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Le Ballon" by Félix Vallotton, the title acts as a small starting point: it announces a motif, a situation or a presence that the painting then transforms into a visual experience.
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#4
Women in the garden: woman with the pilgrim
For "Women in the garden: woman with the pilgrim", the female silhouettes are distributed in narrow panels where dresses, foliage and paths share the same decorative importance; the garden becomes a whole to be inhabited with the eye. Bonnard transforms "Women in the garden: woman with the pilgrim" into fabric of colors, framing and daily details where the eye often discovers the figure after the decor. In "Women in the garden: woman with the pilgrim", the work is dated 1891; it is kept at the Musée d'Orsay (Paris); it measures 160 x 48 cm. For "Women in the garden: woman with the pilgrim", the work is dated 1891; it is kept at the Musée d'Orsay (Paris); it measures 160 x 48 cm. For "Women in the garden: woman with the pilgrim", the work is dated 1891; it is kept at the Musée d'Orsay (Paris); it measures 160 x 48 cm. For "Women in the garden: woman with the pilgrim", the work is dated 1891; it is kept at the Musée d'Orsay (Paris); it measures 160 x 48 cm. For "Women in the garden: woman with the pilgrim", the work is dated 1891; it is kept at the Musée d'Orsay (Paris); it measures 160 x 48 cm. For "Women in the garden: woman with the pilgrim", interchangeable pattern, this great disease of too hurried looks. In "Women in the garden: woman with the pilgrim" by Pierre Bonnard, the figure brings another type of presence: posture, costume, face or gesture give the painting a human tension that the landscape alone could not produce.
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#5
In bed
For "In Bed", the bed, the fabrics and the close face abolish almost all depth; Vuillard transforms the bedroom into an envelope of patterns rather than a decor placed behind the figure. Vuillard brings characters, fabrics and wallpaper together in "In Bed" until it makes the interior a dense, intimate and slightly undisciplined world. For "In Bed" by Édouard Vuillard, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Au lit" by Édouard Vuillard, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Au lit" by Édouard Vuillard, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Au lit" by Édouard Vuillard, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Au lit" by Édouard Vuillard, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Au lit" by Édouard Vuillard, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Au lit" by Édouard Vuillard, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live
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#6
The Muses
Maurice Denis installs the muses in contemporary wood where dresses, trunks and foliage form a frieze; mythology has left Olympus, but it has retained an excellent sense of rhythm; the contrast leads the gaze without rigidity. Maurice Denis constructs "Les Muses" as an image thought as well as seen: line, symbol and color give the subject a deliberately flat clarity. "The Muses" is dated 1893 and kept at the Musée d’Orsay; it measures 171 x 137.5 cm. For "The Muses" by Maurice Denis, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "The Muses" by Maurice Denis, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: for "The Muses" by Maurice Denis, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "The Muses" by Maurice Denis Denis, the painting avoids anonymity because it carries a recognizable subject; the light, the framing and the material then give it its own personality.
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#7
The White and the Black
For "The White and the Black", the two figures, their clothes and the background construct a social as well as chromatic contrast; Vallotton keeps the scene in a cold tension which prevents any comfortable reading. Vallotton cuts out "La Blanche et la Noire" with sharp silhouettes, sharp angles and a psychological distance which transforms the scene into a small social enigma. "La Blanche et la Noire" is dated 1913; it measures 114 x 147 cm; it is kept at Villa Flora. For "La Blanche et la Noire" is dated 1913; it measures 114 x 147 cm; it is kept at Villa Flora. For "La Blanche et la Noire" is dated 1913; it measures 114 x 147 cm; it is kept at Villa Flora. For "La Blanche et la Noire" is dated 1913; it measures 114 x 147 cm; it is kept at Villa Flora. For "La Blanche et la Noire" by Félix Vallotton, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Félix Vallotton adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In "La Blanche et la Noire" by Félix Vallotton, the angle of view transforms the motif; even without much spectacular effect, the light deserves better than a hurried hover.
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#8
Catholic mystery
For "Catholic Mystery", Maurice Denis transposes a sacred scene into a composition of simple gestures and muted colors; faith involves organizing the surface before claiming a halo. Maurice Denis constructs "Catholic Mystery" as an image thought as well as seen: line, symbol and color give the subject a deliberately flat clarity. "Catholic Mystery" is dated 1889 and kept at the Maurice-Denis departmental museum; it measures 97 x 143 cm. For "Catholic Mystery" is dated 1889 and kept at the Maurice-Denis departmental museum; it measures 97 x 143 cm. For "Catholic Mystery" by Maurice Denis, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Mystery catholic" by Maurice Denis, the angle of gaze transforms the motif; even without much spectacular effect, the light deserves better than a hurried hover.
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#9
The White Cat
For "The White Cat", color connects distant elements and gives the whole a coherence that perspective no longer needs to administer. Bonnard transforms "The White Cat" into a fabric of colors, framing and everyday details where the eye often discovers the figure after the decor. In "The White Cat", the work is dated 1894; it is kept at the Musée d'Orsay (Paris). For "The White Cat" by Pierre Bonnard, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too much-pressed looks. In "The White Cat" by Pierre Bonnard, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too eager glances. In "The White Cat" by Pierre Bonnard, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too eager glances. In "The White Cat" by Pierre Bonnard, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too eager glances. In "The White Cat" by Pierre Bonnard, here, reading begins with the subject, then moves towards light and general balance; this is often where the painting gains its character.
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#10
The Witch with the Black Cat
For "The Witch with the Black Cat", the framing brings the viewer closer to the subject while maintaining a silent distance, particularly sensitive in the gestures retained. Ranson mixes arabesque, vegetation and symbol in "The Witch with the Black Cat"; decorative nature always retains a detail capable of disturbing its calm. Today kept at the Musée d'Orsay, "The Witch with the Black Cat" is dated 1893 and measures 90 x 72 cm. For "The Witch with the Black Cat" by Paul Ranson, "The Witch with the Black Cat" is dated 1893 and measures 90 x 72 cm. For "The Witch with the Black Cat" by Paul Ranson, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Paul Ranson adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In "The Witch with the Black Cat" by Paul Ranson, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Paul Ranson adjusts the distance until he maintains presence and memory in the same surface. In "The Witch with the Black Cat" by Paul Ranson, a motif clear, a clean atmosphere and a flexible way of conducting the eye give the painting its presence.
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#11
The Yellow Sea
For "The Yellow Sea", a few firm lines are enough to establish the place, then the colors broaden this first landmark towards a more interior sensation. Lacombe gives "The Yellow Sea" simplified shapes and an almost sculpted rhythm, as if the color must also have relief. Dated 1892, "The Yellow Sea" is kept in the collection of the Brest Museum of Fine Arts and measures 60.7 x 81.5 cm. For "The Yellow Sea" by Georges Lacombe, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too much attention. In "The Yellow Sea" by Georges Lacombe, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too much attention. In "The Yellow Sea" by Georges Lacombe, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too eager glances. In "The Yellow Sea" by Georges Lacombe, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too eager glances. In "The Yellow Sea" by Georges Lacombe, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too eager glances. In "The Yellow Sea" by Georges Lacombe, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too hurried looks. In
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#12
Seasons of Life
For "The Seasons of Life", a dominant form first sets the rhythm; the figures and details then appear as variations rather than a rigid hierarchy. Roussel installs "The Seasons of Life" between real landscape and dreamed pastoral; the figures enter nature without asking it to remain perfectly plausible. "The Seasons of Life" is dated 1892; it is kept at the Musée d'Orsay. For "The Seasons of Life" by Ker-Xavier Roussel, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: for "The Seasons of Life" by Ker-Xavier Roussel, the force comes less from a stroke of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "The Seasons of Life" by Ker-Xavier Roussel, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "The Seasons of Life" by Ker-Xavier Roussel, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "The Seasons of Life" by Ker-Xavier Roussel, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "The Seasons of Life" by Ker-Xavier Roussel, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene
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#13
The Striped Corse
For "The Striped Corse", the scene retains its familiar objects while subjecting them to a flat order where each interval becomes active. Vuillard brings together characters, fabrics and wallpaper in "The Striped Corse" until it makes the interior a dense, intimate and slightly undisciplined world. Dated 1895, "The Striped Corse" is kept at the National Gallery of Art and measures 65.7 x 58.7 cm. For "The Striped Corse" by Édouard Vuillard, the strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "The Striped Corse" by Édouard Vuillard, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "The Striped Corse" by Édouard Vuillard, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "The Striped Corse" by Édouard Vuillard, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "The Striped Corse" by Édouard Vuillard, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "The Striped Corse" by Édouard Vuillard, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye
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#14
April
For "Avril", the space reads like an active tapestry where the patterns lead the eye without providing it with a very convenient central corridor. Maurice Denis constructs "Avril" as an image thought as well as seen: line, symbol and color give the subject a deliberately flat clarity. For "Avril" by Maurice Denis, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too much-pressed glances. For "Avril" by Maurice Denis, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of overly hurried glances. In "Avril" by Maurice Denis, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of overly hurried glances. In "Avril" by Maurice Denis, the motif remains distinct and the atmosphere identifiable, without being satisfied with a pretty name on a label.
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#15
The Yellow Christ
For "The Yellow Christ", color connects distant elements and gives the whole a coherence that perspective no longer needs to administer. Gauguin gives "The Yellow Christ" firm contours and flat areas full of memory; reality becomes the starting point of a mental image. "The Yellow Christ" is dated 1889; it measures 92 x 73 cm; it is kept at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo. For "The Yellow Christ" by Paul Gauguin, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great illness of too hurried glances. In "The Yellow Christ" by Paul Gauguin, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great illness of too hurried glances. In "The Yellow Christ" by Paul Gauguin, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great illness of too hurried glances. In "The Yellow Christ" by Paul Gauguin, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great illness of too hurried glances. In "The Yellow Christ" by Paul Gauguin, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great illness of too hurried glances. In "The Yellow Christ" by Paul Gauguin, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great illness of too hurried gl
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#16
Avenue de Clichy, five o'clock in the evening
For "Avenue de Clichy, five o'clock in the evening", color connects distant elements and gives the whole a coherence that perspective no longer needs to administer. Anquetin surrounds figures and lights in "Avenue de Clichy, five o'clock in the evening" with an almost glazed frankness; the modern city thus gains an immediately readable structure. Today kept at the Wadsworth Atheneum, "Avenue de Clichy, five o'clock in the evening" is dated 1887 and measures 69 x 53 cm. For "Avenue de Clichy, five o'clock in the evening" is dated 1887 and measures 69 x 53 cm. For "Avenue de Clichy, five o'clock in the evening" is dated 1887 and measures 69 x 53 cm. For "Avenue de Clichy, five o'clock in the evening" is dated 1887 and measures 69 x 53 cm. For "Avenue de Clichy, five o'clock in the evening" is dated 1887 and measures 69 x 53 cm. For "Avenue de Clichy, five o'clock in the evening" is dated 1887 and measures 69 x 53 cm. For "Avenue de Clichy, five o'clock in the evening" is dated 1887 and measures 69 x 53 cm. For "Avenue de Clichy, five o'clock in the evening" is dated 1887 and measures 69 x In "Avenue de Clichy, five o'clock in the evening" by Louis Anquetin, the title announces a study of light: evening, morning, moon or sun become real subjects here, not simple weather settings.
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#17
The poor fisherman
For "The Poor Fisherman", the subject is constructed by successive flat areas; each color brings the background closer to the figure instead of obediently digging into the perspective. Puvis de Chavannes gives "The Poor Fisherman" a slow rhythm, silent figures and a reduced depth which gave the Nabis a monumental precedent. Now kept at the Musée d'Orsay, "The Poor Fisherman" is dated 1881 and measures 154.7 x 192.5 cm. For "The Poor Fisherman" by Puvis de Chavannes, the composition can be read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "The Poor Fisherman" by Puvis de Chavannes, the composition can be read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "The Poor Fisherman" by Puvis de Chavannes, the composition can be read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "The Poor Fisherman" by Puvis de Chavannes, the composition can be read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "The Poor Fisherman" by Puvis de Chavannes, the composition can be read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. small starting note: it announces a pattern, a situation or a presence that the painting then transforms into a visual experience.
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#18
The Woman with the Umbrella
For "The Woman with the Umbrella", the space reads like an active tapestry where the patterns lead the eye without providing it with a very convenient central corridor. Maillol seeks in "The Woman with the Umbrella" a stability of mass and contour which announces his work as a sculptor without transforming the painting into a block of stone. In "The Woman with the Umbrella", the work is dated 1892; it is kept at the Musée d'Orsay; it measures 190.5 x 149.6 cm. For "The Woman with the Umbrella" by Aristide Maillol, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too much hurried looks. In Aristide's "The Woman with the Umbrella", this singularity is dated 1892; it is kept at the Musée d'Orsay; it measures 190.5 x 149.6 cm. For "The Woman with the Umbrella" by Aristide Maillol, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of overly hurried looks. In Aristide's "The Woman with the Umbrella", this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of overly hurried looks. In Aristide's "The Woman with the Umbrella" Maillol is not just a silhouette placed in beautiful light; the figure becomes the center of gravity, the detail that transforms the atmosphere into an encounter.
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#19
Lunch
For "Lunch", balance comes less from depth than from the way in which light masses, dark areas and curved lines respond to each other on the surface. Vuillard brings together characters, fabrics and wallpaper in "Lunch" until it makes the interior a dense, intimate and slightly undisciplined world. Today kept at the Liège Museum of Fine Arts, "Lunch" is dated 1923 and measures 81 x 65 cm. For "Lunch" by Édouard Vuillard, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "Lunch" by Édouard Vuillard, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "Lunch" by Édouard Vuillard, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where material, distance and light work together. In "Lunch" by Édouard Vuillard, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where material, distance and light work together. In "Lunch" by Édouard Vuillard, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where material, distance and light work together. In "Lunch" by Édouard Vuillard, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where material, distance and light work together. In "Lunch" by Édouard Vuillard, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where material, distance and
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#20
The rowing dress
For "The robe with branches", the subject is constructed by successive flat areas; each color brings the background of the figure closer together instead of obediently digging into perspective. Vuillard brings together characters, fabrics and wallpaper in "The robe with branches" until it makes the interior a dense, intimate and slightly undisciplined world. "The robe with branches" is dated 1891; it measures 38 x 46 cm; it is kept at the Sao Paulo art museum. For "The robe with branches" by Édouard Vuillard, the composition can be read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. For "The robe with branches" by Édouard Vuillard, the composition can be read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "The robe with branches" by Édouard Vuillard, the composition can be read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "The robe with branches" by Édouard Vuillard, the composition can be read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "The robe with branches" by Édouard Vuillard, the composition can be read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "The robe with branches
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#21
The Omnibus
For "The Omnibus", the gaze enters through a clear outline, then is pleasantly lost between fabric, foliage and silhouette without finding a completely secondary plan. Bonnard transforms "The Omnibus" into a fabric of colors, framing and everyday details where the eye often discovers the figure after the decor. "The Omnibus" is dated 1895; it measures 59 x 41 cm; it is kept at the Bemberg Foundation (Toulouse). For "The Omnibus" by Pierre Bonnard, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Pierre Bonnard adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In "The Omnibus" by Pierre Bonnard, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Pierre Bonnard adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In "The Omnibus" by Pierre Bonnard, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Pierre Bonnard adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In "The Omnibus" by Pierre Bonnard, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Pierre Bonnard adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In "The Omnibus" by Pierre Bonnard, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Pierre Bonnard adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In "The Omnibus" by Pierre Bonnard, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Pierre Bonnard adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same
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#22
The bathrobe
For "Le Peignoir", light does not obediently model volumes; it is distributed in colored areas which give the scene its precise mood. Bonnard transforms "Le Peignoir" into a fabric of colors, framing and everyday details where the eye often discovers the figure after the decor. In "Le Peignoir", the work is dated Around 1890; it is kept at the Musée d’Orsay (Paris); it measures 154 x 54 cm. For "Le Peignoir" by Pierre Bonnard, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; For "Le Peignoir" by Pierre Bonnard, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Pierre Bonnard adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In "Le Peignoir" by Pierre Bonnard, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Pierre Bonnard adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In "Le Peignoir" by Pierre Bonnard, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Pierre Bonnard adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In "Le Peignoir" by Pierre Bonnard, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Pierre Bonnard adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In "Le Peignoir" by Pierre Bonnard, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Pierre Bonnard adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In "Le Peignoir" by Pierre Bonnard
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#23
Madame Vuillard sewing
For "Madame Vuillard sewing", color connects distant elements and gives the whole a coherence that perspective no longer needs to administer. Vuillard brings together characters, fabrics and wallpaper in "Madame Vuillard sewing" until it makes the interior a dense, intimate and slightly undisciplined world. Dated 1902, "Madame Vuillard sewing" is kept at the Sainte-Croix museum and measures 28 x 31 cm. For "Madame Vuillard sewing" by Édouard Vuillard, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too much of a hurry. In "Madame Vuillard sewing" by Édouard Vuillard, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of overly hurried looks. In "Madame Vuillard sewing" by Édouard Vuillard, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of overly hasty looks. In "Madame Vuillard sewing" by Édouard Vuillard, the human subject allows you to follow Édouard Vuillard as closely as possible to a presence that is watching, reading, waiting or staying at a distance.
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#24
The lie
For "The Lie", color connects distant elements and gives the whole a coherence that perspective no longer needs to administer. Vallotton cuts "The Lie" with sharp silhouettes, clear angles and a psychological distance which transforms the scene into a small social enigma. For "The Lie" by Félix Vallotton, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too much-pressed glances. In "The Lie" by Félix Vallotton, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too hurried glances. In "The Lie" by Félix Vallotton, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too hurried glances. In "The Lie" by Félix Vallotton, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too hurried glances. In "The Lie" by Félix Vallotton, a clear pattern, a clean atmosphere and a flexible way of conducting the eye give the painting its presence.
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#25
Woman seated
For "Sitting Woman", color connects distant elements and gives the whole a coherence that perspective no longer needs to administer. Maillol seeks in "Sitting Woman" a stability of mass and contour which announces her work as a sculptor without transforming the painting into a block of stone. For "Sitting Woman" by Aristide Maillol, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too hurried glances. In "Sitting Woman" by Aristide Maillol, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too hurried looks. In "Sitting Woman" by Aristide Maillol, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too hurried looks. In "Sitting Woman" by Aristide Maillol, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of looks in too much of a hurry. In "Sitting Woman" by Aristide Maillol, the figure brings another type of presence: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of looks in too much of a hurry. In "Sitting Woman" by Aristide Maillol, the figure brings another type of presence: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of looks in too much of a hurry. In "Sitting Woman" by Aristide Maillol, the figure brings another type of presence: it avoids
Discover →Fabrics, tables, silhouettes and foliage show how everyday life becomes a composition of rhythms, patterns and silences.
#26
Madeleine at Bois d’Amour
For "Madeleine au Bois d'Amour", the composition refuses the spectacular effect and prefers a more lasting tension between human presence, decor and memory. Émile Bernard simplifies the volumes in "Madeleine au Bois d'Amour" and surrounds the colors, giving the Breton scene a force of memory rather than a simple outdoor effect. For "Madeleine au Bois d'Amour" by Émile Bernard, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too much glances. In "Madeleine au Bois d'Amour" by Émile Bernard, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of overly hurried glances. In "Madeleine au Bois d'Amour" by Émile Bernard, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of overly hurried glances. In "Madeleine au Bois d'Amour" by Émile Bernard, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of overly hurried glances. In "Madeleine au Bois d'Amour" by Émile Bernard, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of overly hurried glances. In "Madeleine au Bois d'Amour" by Émile Bernard, on the scale of
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#27
Young Girls by the sea
For "Young Girls by the Sea", A few firm lines are enough to set up the place, then the colors broaden this first landmark towards a more interior sensation. Puvis de Chavannes gives "Young Girls by the Sea" a slow rhythm, silent figures and reduced depth which offered the Nabis a monumental precedent. For "Young Girls by the Sea" by Puvis de Chavannes, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too eager glances. In "Young Girls by the Sea" by Puvis de Chavannes, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too eager glances. In "Young Girls by the Sea" by Puvis de Chavannes, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too eager glances. In "Young Girls by the Sea" by Puvis de Chavannes, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too eager glances. In "Young Girls by the Sea" by Puvis de Chavannes, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too eager glances. In "Young Girls by the Sea" by Puvis de Chavannes, on the scale of the image, this singularity
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#28
Beach in Heist
For "Plage à Heist", the scene seems familiar, but its framing and color relationships give it the concentration of a recomposed memory. Georges Lemmen gives "Plage à Heist" a surface organized by contour, color and rhythm rather than by the illusion of perfectly wise depth. For "Plage à Heist" by Georges Lemmen, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Plage à Heist" by Georges Lemmen, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Plage à Heist" by Georges Lemmen, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Plage à Heist" by Georges Lemmen, the painting avoids anonymity because it carries a recognizable subject; the painting then gives it its own personality.
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#29
Lunch
For "Le Déjeuner", everyday life loses its banality as soon as lines and surfaces begin to organize their own conversation. Bonnard transforms "Le Déjeuner" into a fabric of colors, framing and daily details where the eye often discovers the figure after the decor. "Le Déjeuner" is dated 1923 and kept at the Emil G Foundation and Collection. In "Le Déjeuner", Bührle (Zurich); it measures 41.3 x 62.2 cm. For "Le Déjeuner" by Pierre Bonnard, the composition can be read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Le Déjeuner", Bührle (Zurich); it measures 41.3 x 62.2 cm. For "Le Déjeuner" by Pierre Bonnard, the composition can be read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Le Déjeuner", Bührle (Zurich); it measures 41.3 x 62.2 cm. For "Le Déjeuner" by Pierre Bonnard, the composition can be read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Le Déjeuner", Bührle (Zurich); it measures
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#30
Interior Mother and Sister of the Artist
For "Interior Mother and Sister of the Artist", the contours simplify the world without impoverishing it; they focus attention on a few precise relationships of form and tone. Vuillard brings together characters, fabrics and wallpaper in "Interior Mother and Sister of the Artist" until it makes the interior a dense, intimate and slightly undisciplined world. For "Interior Mother and Sister of the Artist" by Édouard Vuillard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Interior Mother and Sister of the Artist" by Édouard Vuillard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Interior Mother and Sister of the Artist" by Édouard Vuillard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Interior Mother and Sister of the Artist" by Édouard Vuillard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Interior Mother and Sister of the Artist" by Édouard Vuillard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Interior Mother and Sister of the Artist" by Édouard Vuillard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile
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#31
The Bath in the summer evening
For "The Bath in the Summer Evening", color connects distant elements and gives the whole a coherence that perspective no longer needs to administer. Vallotton cuts "The Bath in the Summer Evening" with sharp silhouettes, clear angles and a psychological distance which transforms the scene into a small social enigma. For "The Bath in the Summer Evening" by Félix Vallotton, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great illness of too eager glances. In "The Bath in the Summer Evening" by Félix Vallotton, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great illness of too eager glances. In "The Bath in the Summer Evening" by Félix Vallotton, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great illness of too eager glances. In "The Bath in the Summer Evening" by Félix Vallotton, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great illness of too eager glances. In "The Bath in the Summer Evening" by Félix Vallotton, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great illness of too eager glances. In "The Bath in the Summer Evening" by Félix Vallotton, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great
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#32
The Bretons with umbrellas
For "Les Bretonnes aux ombrelles", light does not obediently model volumes; it is distributed in colored areas which give the scene its precise mood. Émile Bernard simplifies the volumes in "Les Bretonnes aux ombrelles" and surrounds the colors, giving the Breton scene a force of memory rather than a simple outdoor effect. For "Les Bretonnes aux ombrelles" by Émile Bernard, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Émile Bernard adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. For "Les Bretonnes aux ombrelles" by Émile Bernard, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Émile Bernard adjusts the distance until he maintains presence and memory in the same surface. In "Les Bretonnes aux ombrelles" by Émile Bernard, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Émile Bernard adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In "Les Bretonnes aux ombrelles" by Émile Bernard, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Émile Bernard adjusts the distance until he maintains presence and memory in the same surface. In "Les Bretonnes aux ombrelles" by Émile Bernard, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Émile Bernard adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In "Les Bretonnes aux ombrelles" by Émile Bernard, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Émile Bernard adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In "Les Bretonnes aux ombrelles" by Émile
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#33
Hello Mr. Gauguin
For "Bonjour Monsieur Gauguin", the landscape advances in bands and curves; the observed space becomes a decorative construction without losing its sensitive weather. Gauguin gives "Bonjour Monsieur Gauguin" firm contours and flat areas full of memory; reality becomes the starting point of a mental image. Dated 1889, "Bonjour Monsieur Gauguin" is kept in the National Gallery in Prague and measures 93 x 74 cm. For "Bonjour Monsieur Gauguin" by Paul Gauguin, the composition is read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Bonjour Monsieur Gauguin" by Paul Gauguin, the composition can be read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Bonjour Monsieur Gauguin" by Paul Gauguin, the composition can be read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Bonjour Monsieur Gauguin" by Paul Gauguin, the composition can be read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Bonjour Monsieur Gauguin" by Paul Gauguin, the composition can be read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Bonjour Monsieur Gaugu
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#34
At the Moulin-Rouge
For "Au Moulin-Rouge", the intimacy of the motif lies in its proximity, but the simplification of the shots prevents the scene from closing in on the anecdote. Toulouse-Lautrec frames "Au Moulin-Rouge" as close as possible to bodies and artificial light, making nightlife a cutting composition rather than a pleasant anecdote. "Au Moulin-Rouge" is dated 1892 and kept at the Art Institute of Chicago; it measures 123 x 141 cm. For "Au Moulin-Rouge" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, the eye measures 123 x 141 cm. For "Au Moulin-Rouge" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, it measures 123 x 141 cm. For "Au Moulin-Rouge" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Au Moulin-Rouge" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Au Moulin-Rouge" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Au Moulin-Rouge" by Henri de anonymity because it carries a recognizable subject; light, framing and material then give it its own personality.
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#35
The Cyclops
For "The Cyclops", the space reads like an active tapestry where the patterns lead the eye without providing it with a convenient central corridor. Redon makes "The Cyclops" an apparition rather than a description; color gives the dream a material precise enough to remain after waking up. For "The Cyclops" by Odilon Redon, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too much looking. In "The Cyclops" by Odilon Redon, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too eager glances. In "The Cyclops" by Odilon Redon, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too eager glances. In "The Cyclops" by Odilon Redon, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too eager glances. In "The Cyclops" by Odilon Redon, on the scale of the image, this singularity matters a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too eager glances. In "The Cyclops" by Odilon Redon, this singularity matters a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too eager glances. In "The Cyclops" by Odilon Redon, on the scale of the image
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#36
Hope
For "L'Espérance", the motif remains identifiable, but it is reconstructed as a series of colorful rhythms rather than copied with photographic obedience. Puvis de Chavannes gives "L'Espérance" a slow rhythm, silent figures and reduced depth which offered the Nabis a monumental precedent. For "L'Espérance" by Puvis de Chavannes, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "L'Espérance" by Puvis de Chavannes, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "L'Espérance" by Puvis de Chavannes, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "L'Espérance" by Puvis de Chavannes, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "L'Espérance" by Puvis de Chavannes, the painting avoids anonymity because it carries a recognizable subject; in "L'Espérance" by Puvis de Chavannes, the painting comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "L'Esp
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#37
Naked in the bath
For "Nude in the Bath", color here carries the atmosphere before the light, giving the motif a mental as well as descriptive presence. Bonnard transforms "Nude in the Bath" into a fabric of colors, framing and everyday details where the eye often discovers the figure after the decor. "Nude in the bath" is dated 1936; it measures 93 x 147 cm; it is kept at the Paris Museum of Modern Art. For "Nude in the Bath" by Pierre Bonnard, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. For "Nude in the Bath" by Pierre Bonnard, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. For "Nude in the Bath" by Pierre Bonnard, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. For "Nude in the Bath" by Pierre Bonnard, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. For "Nude in the Bath" by Pierre Bonnard, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. For "Nude in the Bath" by Pierre Bonnard, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. For "Nude in the Bath" by Pierre Bonnard, the painting
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#38
Maternity
For "Maternity", the motif remains identifiable, but it is reconstructed as a series of colored rhythms rather than copied with photographic obedience. Maurice Denis constructs "Maternity" as an image thought as well as seen: line, symbol and color give the subject a deliberately flat clarity. For "Maternity" by Maurice Denis, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Maternity" by Maurice Denis, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Maternity" by Maurice Denis, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Maternity" by Maurice Denis, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Maternity" by Maurice Denis, the subject specifies the tone, then the light and composition give the real reason to stay in front of the work.
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#39
The visit
For "La Visite", the silhouettes emerge by contrast rather than by modeling, with a clarity that makes their silence particularly perceptible. Vallotton cuts "La Visite" with sharp silhouettes, sharp angles and a psychological distance which transforms the scene into a small social enigma. For "La Visite" by Félix Vallotton, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "La Visite" by Félix Vallotton, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "La Visite" by Félix Vallotton, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "La Visite" by Félix Vallotton, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "La Visite" by Félix Vallotton, the title already gives a concrete reference point for reading the image: subject, place, light or action direct the gaze before the pictorial material does its work.
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#40
The Harvest
For "La Moisson", the contours simplify the world without impoverishing it; they focus attention on a few precise relationships of form and tone. Émile Bernard simplifies the volumes in "La Moisson" and surrounds the colors, giving the Breton scene a force of memory rather than a simple outdoor effect. For "La Moisson" by Émile Bernard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "La Moisson" by Émile Bernard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "La Moisson" by Émile Bernard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "La Moisson" by Émile Bernard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "La Moisson" by Émile Bernard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "La Moisson" by Émile Bernard, the subject retains enough presence and light to avoid the impression of a simple decorative variant.
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#41
Landscape of Martinique
For "Paysage de Martinique", the contours simplify the world without impoverishing it; they focus attention on a few precise relationships of form and tone. Charles Laval gives "Paysage de Martinique" a surface organized by contour, color and rhythm rather than by the illusion of perfectly wise depth. For "Paysage de Martinique" by Charles Laval, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Paysage de Martinique" by Charles Laval, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Paysage de Martinique" by Charles Laval, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Paysage de Martinique" by Charles Laval, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Paysage de Martinique" by Charles Laval, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Paysage de Martinique" by Charles Laval, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Paysage de Martinique" by Charles Laval, this work is worth its precise motif as much as its
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#42
Sunday
For "Sunday", the surface alternates calm areas and tighter passages, like a score where the motif itself regulates the tempo of the gaze. Henri Le Sidaner gives "Le Dimanche" a surface organized by contour, color and rhythm rather than by the illusion of perfectly wise depth. For "Le Dimanche" by Henri Le Sidaner, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "Le Dimanche" by Henri Le Sidaner, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "Le Dimanche" by Henri Le Sidaner, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "Le Dimanche" by Henri Le Sidaner, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "Le Dimanche" by Henri Le Sidaner, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "Le Dimanche" by Henri Le Sidaner, the first interest comes from the subject itself: it gives the reader a concrete grip before letting color, light and details do the rest.
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#43
The port of Pont-Aven
For "The Port of Pont-Aven", the gaze enters through a clear outline, then is pleasantly lost between fabric, foliage and silhouette without finding a completely secondary plan. Maxime Maufra gives "The Port of Pont-Aven" a surface organized by contour, color and rhythm rather than by the illusion of perfectly wise depth. For "The Port of Pont-Aven" by Maxime Maufra, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Maxime Maufra adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. For "The Port of Pont-Aven" by Maxime Maufra, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Maxime Maufra adjusts the distance until he maintains presence and memory in the same surface. In "The Port of Pont-Aven" by Maxime Maufra, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Maxime Maufra adjusts the distance until he maintains presence and memory in the same surface. In "The Port of Pont-Aven" by Maxime Maufra, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Maxime Maufra adjusts the distance until he maintains presence and memory in the same surface. In "The Port of Pont-Aven" by Maxime Maufra, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Maxime Maufra adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In "The Port of Pont-Aven" by Maxime Maufra, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Maxime Maufra adjusts the distance until he maintains presence and memory in the same
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#44
Blue navy, wave effect
For "Blue Navy, wave effect", the landscape advances in bands and curves; the observed space becomes a decorative construction without losing its sensitive weather. Lacombe gives "Blue Navy, wave effect" simplified shapes and an almost sculpted rhythm, as if the color must also have relief. For "Blue Navy, wave effect" by Georges Lacombe, the composition is read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Blue Navy, wave effect" by Georges Lacombe, the composition is read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Blue Navy, wave effect" by Georges Lacombe, the composition is read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Blue Navy, wave effect" by Georges Lacombe, the composition is read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Blue Navy, wave effect" by Georges Lacombe, the composition is read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Blue Navy, wave effect" by Georges Lacombe, the composition is read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Blue Navy, wave
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#45
The Beautiful Angela
For "La Belle Angèle", an unexpected angle organizes the composition, leaving ordinary gestures with a discreet tension that the subject alone did not announce. Gauguin gives "La Belle Angèle" firm contours and flat areas full of memory; reality becomes the starting point of a mental image. Today kept at the Musée d'Orsay, Paris, "La Belle Angèle" is dated 1889 and measures 92 x 73.2 cm. For "La Belle Angèle" by Paul Gauguin, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "La Belle Angèle" by Paul Gauguin, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "La Belle Angèle" by Paul Gauguin, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "La Belle Angèle" by Paul Gauguin, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "La Belle Angèle" by Paul Gauguin, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "La Belle Angèle" by Paul Gauguin, the force comes less from
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#46
Red Mill
For "Moulin Rouge", everyday life loses its banality as soon as lines and surfaces begin to organize their own conversation. Anquetin surrounds figures and lights with an almost glazed frankness in "Moulin Rouge; the modern city thus gains an immediately readable structure. For "Moulin Rouge" by Louis Anquetin, the composition is read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Moulin Rouge" by Louis Anquetin, the composition is read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Moulin Rouge" by Louis Anquetin, the composition is read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Moulin Rouge" by Louis Anquetin, the composition is read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Moulin Rouge" by Louis Anquetin, the composition is read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Moulin Rouge" by Louis Anquetin, the subject specifies the tone, then the light and composition give the real reason to stay in front of the work.
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#47
The sacred wood dear to the arts and the Muses
For "The Sacred Wood dear to the arts and the Muses", Maurice Denis installs the muses in a contemporary wood where dresses, trunks and foliage form a frieze; mythology has left Olympus, but it has retained an excellent sense of rhythm. Puvis de Chavannes gives "The Sacred Wood dear to the arts and the Muses" a slow rhythm, silent figures and a reduced depth which offered the Nabis a monumental precedent. For "The Sacred Wood dear to the arts and the Muses" by Puvis de Chavannes, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "The Sacred Wood dear to the arts and the Muses" by Puvis de Chavannes, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "The Sacred Wood dear to the arts and the Muses" by Puvis de Chavannes, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "The Sacred Wood dear to the arts and the Muses" by Puvis de Chavannes, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. Puvis de Chavannes, the forest forces the eye to work differently: less spectacular horizon, more masses, passages and small openings in the light.
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#48
Landscape, Brookleton
For "Landscape, Brookleton", balance comes less from depth than from the way light masses, dark areas and curved lines respond to each other on the surface. Lucien Pissarro gives "Landscape, Brookleton" a surface organized by contour, color and rhythm rather than by the illusion of perfectly wise depth. For "Landscape, Brookleton" by Lucien Pissarro, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. For "Landscape, Brookleton" by Lucien Pissarro, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "Landscape, Brookleton" by Lucien Pissarro, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "Landscape, Brookleton" by Lucien Pissarro, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "Landscape, Brookleton" by Lucien Pissarro, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "Landscape, Brookleton" by Lucien Pissarro, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "Landscape, Brookleton" by Lucien Pissarro
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#49
La Crique, wild coast, Quiberon
For "La Crique, wild coast, Quiberon", a dominant form first sets the rhythm; the figures and details then appear as variations rather than a rigid hierarchy. Maxime Maufra gives "La Crique, wild coast, Quiberon" a surface organized by contour, color and rhythm rather than by the illusion of perfectly wise depth. For "La Crique, wild coast, Quiberon" by Maxime Maufra, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "La Crique, wild coast, Quiberon" by Maxime Maufra, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "La Crique, wild coast, Quiberon" by Maxime Maufra, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "La Crique, wild coast, Quiberon" by Maxime Maufra, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "La Crique, wild coast, Quiberon" by Maxime Maufra, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "La Crique, wild coast, Quiberon" by
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#50
The dining room overlooking the garden
For "The Dining Room Over the Garden", a dominant form first sets the rhythm; the figures and details then appear as variations rather than a rigid hierarchy. Bonnard transforms "The Dining Room Over the Garden" into a fabric of colors, framing and everyday details where the eye often discovers the figure after the decor. Dated 1930, "The Dining Room Over the Garden" is kept at the Museum of Modern Art (New York) and measures 159 x 114 cm. For "The Dining Room Over the Garden" by Pierre Bonnard, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In " The Dining Room overlooking the garden" by Pierre Bonnard, the title already gives a concrete reference point for reading the image: subject, place, light or action direct the gaze before the pictorial material does its work.
Discover →Brittany, symbolism and synthetism move color away from imitation to entrust it with memory, faith and emotion.
#51
The Red Room
For "The Red Room", the setting takes up as much space as the human subject, so that looking amounts to negotiating between presence and motif. Vallotton cuts out "The Red Room" with clear silhouettes, sharp angles and a psychological distance which transforms the scene into a small social enigma. For "The Red Room" by Félix Vallotton, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "The Red Room" by Félix Vallotton, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "The Red Room" by Félix Vallotton, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "The Red Room" by Félix Vallotton, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "The Red Room" by Félix Vallotton, the strength of the image is that it isolates a moment or a motif without reducing it to one more formula.
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#52
The toilet
For "La Toilette", the decor takes up as much space as the human subject, so that looking amounts to negotiating between presence and motif. Toulouse-Lautrec frames "La Toilette" as close as possible to bodies and artificial light, making nightlife a cutting composition rather than a pleasant anecdote. For "La Toilette" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "La Toilette" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "La Toilette" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "La Toilette" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "La Toilette" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, the painting avoids anonymity because it carries a recognizable subject; the painting then gives it its own personality.
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#53
Captive pegasus
For "Captive Pegasus", silhouettes emerge by contrast rather than modeling, with a sharpness that makes their silence particularly perceptible. Redon makes "Captive Pegasus" an apparition rather than a description; color gives the dream a material precise enough to remain after waking up. For Odilon Redon's "Captive Pegasus", the painting not only seeks to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In Odilon Redon's "Captive Pegasus", the painting not only seeks to seduce; it asserts a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In Odilon Redon's "Captive Pegasus", the painting not only seeks to seduce; it asserts a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In Odilon Redon's "Captive Pegasus", the painting not only seeks to seduce; it asserts a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In Odilon Redon's "Captive Pegasus", here, the reading begins with the subject, then moves towards light and general balance; this is often where the painting gains its character.
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#54
The table in the white garden in Gerberoy
For "The table in the white garden in Gerberoy", the gaze enters through a clear outline, then is pleasantly lost between fabric, foliage and silhouette without finding a completely secondary plan. Henri Le Sidaner gives "The table in the white garden in Gerberoy" a surface organized by contour, color and rhythm rather than by the illusion of perfectly wise depth. For "The table in the white garden in Gerberoy" by Henri Le Sidaner, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Henri Le Sidaner adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In "The table in the white garden in Gerberoy" by Henri Le Sidaner, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Henri Le Sidaner adjusts the distance until presence and memory are maintained in the same surface. In "The table in the white garden in Gerberoy" by Henri Le Sidaner, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Henri Le Sidaner adjusts the distance until presence and memory are maintained in the same surface. In "The table in the white garden in Gerberoy" by Henri Le Sidaner, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Henri Le Sidaner adjusts the distance until presence and memory are maintained in the same surface. In "The table in the white garden in Gerberoy" by Henri Le Sidaner, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Henri Le Sidaner adjusts the distance until presence and memory are maintained in the same surface. In "The table in the white garden in Ger starting: it announces a motif, a situation or a presence that the painting then transforms into a visual experience.
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#55
Reading models in the workshop
For "Reading models in the workshop", the gaze enters through a clear outline, then is pleasantly lost between fabric, foliage and silhouette without finding a completely secondary plan. Georges Lemmen gives "Reading models in the workshop" a surface organized by contour, color and rhythm rather than by the illusion of perfectly wise depth. For "Reading models in the workshop" by Georges Lemmen, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Georges Lemmen adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In "Reading models in the workshop" by Georges Lemmen, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Georges Lemmen adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In "Reading models in the workshop" by Georges Lemmen, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Georges Lemmen adjusts the distance until he maintains presence and memory in the same surface. In "Reading models in the workshop" by Georges Lemmen, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Georges Lemmen adjusts the distance until he maintains presence and memory in the same surface. In "Reading models in the workshop" by Georges Lemmen, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Georges Lemmen adjusts the distance until he maintains presence and memory in the same surface. In "Reading models in the workshop" by Georges Lemmen, the angle of gaze transforms the pattern; even without much spectacular effect, the light deserves better than a hurried hover.
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#56
September evening
For "September Evening", color connects distant elements and gives the whole a coherence that perspective no longer needs to administer. Maurice Denis constructs "September Evening" as an image thought as well as seen: line, symbol and color give the subject a deliberately flat clarity. In "September Evening", the work is kept at the Museum of Fine Arts. For "September Evening" by Maurice Denis, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too much-pressed glances. In "September Evening" by Maurice Denis, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of overly hurried glances. In "September Evening" by Maurice Denis, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of overly hurried glances. In "September Evening" by Maurice Denis, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of overly hurried glances. In "September Evening" by Maurice Denis, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of overly hurried glances. In "September Evening" by Maurice Denis, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of overly hurried glances. In "September Evening" by Maurice Denis, on the scale of the
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#57
The witches
For "The Witches", everyday life loses its banality as soon as the lines and surfaces begin to organize their own conversation. Ranson mixes arabesque, vegetation and symbol in "The Witches"; decorative nature always retains a detail capable of disturbing its calm. For "The Witches" by Paul Ranson, the composition is read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "The Witches" by Paul Ranson, the composition is read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "The Witches" by Paul Ranson, the composition is read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "The Witches" by Paul Ranson, the composition is read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "The Witches" by Paul Ranson, the composition is read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "The Witches" by Paul Ranson, the composition is read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "The Witches" by Paul Ranson, the composition is read in stages: first the motif
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#58
At the Salon on rue des Moulins
For "Au Salon de la rue des Moulins", the subject is constructed in successive flat areas; each color brings the background closer to the figure instead of obediently digging into the perspective. Toulouse-Lautrec frames "Au Salon de la rue des Moulins" as close as possible to bodies and artificial light, making nightlife a cutting composition rather than a pleasant anecdote. For "Au Salon de la rue des Moulins" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, the composition can be read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Au Salon de la rue des Moulins" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, the composition can be read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Au Salon de la rue des Moulins" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, the composition can be read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Au Salon de la rue des Moulins" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, the composition can be read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Au Salon de la rue des Moulins" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, the composition can be read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of the image: subject, place, light or action direct the gaze before the pictorial material does its work.
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#59
Summer
For "Summer", the scene retains its familiar objects while subjecting them to a flat order where each interval becomes active. Puvis de Chavannes gives "Summer" a slow rhythm, silent figures and reduced depth which offered the Nabis a monumental precedent. For "Summer" by Puvis de Chavannes, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Summer" by Puvis de Chavannes, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Summer" by Puvis de Chavannes, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Summer" by Puvis de Chavannes, the first interest comes from the subject itself: it gives the reader a concrete grip before letting color, light and details do the rest.
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#60
The terrace
For "La Terrasse", the surface alternates calm areas and tighter passages, like a score where the motif itself regulates the tempo of the gaze. Henri Le Sidaner gives "La Terrasse" a surface organized by contour, color and rhythm rather than by the illusion of perfectly wise depth. For "La Terrasse" by Henri Le Sidaner, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "La Terrasse" by Henri Le Sidaner, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "La Terrasse" by Henri Le Sidaner, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "La Terrasse" by Henri Le Sidaner, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "La Terrasse" by Henri Le Sidaner, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "La Terrasse" by Henri Le Sidaner, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "La Terrasse" by Henri Le Sidaner, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together
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#61
The Kiosk, Boulevard des Batignolles
For "Le Kiosque, Boulevard des Batignolles", the intimacy of the motif lies in its proximity, but the simplification of the shots prevents the scene from closing in on the anecdote. Bonnard transforms "Le Kiosque, Boulevard des Batignolles" into a fabric of colors, framing and daily details where the eye often discovers the figure after the decor. For "Le Kiosque, Boulevard des Batignolles" by Pierre Bonnard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Le Kiosque, Boulevard des Batignolles" by Pierre Bonnard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Le Kiosque, Boulevard des Batignolles" by Pierre Bonnard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Le Kiosque, Boulevard des Batignolles" by Pierre Bonnard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Le Kiosque, Boulevard des Batignolles" by Pierre Bonnard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Le Kiosque, Boulevard des Batign
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#62
Public gardens: little girls playing
For "Public Gardens: Little Girls Playing", the surface alternates calm areas and tighter passages, like a score where the pattern itself regulates the tempo of the gaze. Vuillard brings together characters, fabrics and wallpaper in "Public Gardens: Little Girls Playing" until it makes the interior a dense, intimate and slightly undisciplined world. For "Public Gardens: Little Girls Playing" by Édouard Vuillard, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. For "Public Gardens: Little Girls Playing" by Édouard Vuillard, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "Public Gardens: Little Girls Playing" by Édouard Vuillard, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "Public Gardens: Little Girls Playing" by Édouard Vuillard, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "Public Gardens: Little Girls Playing" by Édouard Vuillard, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "Public Gardens: Little Girls Playing" by Édouard Vuillard, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "Public Gardens: Little Girls Playing"
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#63
Naked woman sleeping
For "Naked Sleeping Woman", a dominant form first sets the rhythm; the figures and details then appear as variations rather than a rigid hierarchy. Vallotton cuts out "Naked Sleeping Woman" with sharp silhouettes, sharp angles and a psychological distance which transforms the scene into a small social enigma. For "Naked Sleeping Woman" by Félix Vallotton, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Naked Sleeping Woman" by Félix Vallotton, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Naked Sleeping Woman" by Félix Vallotton, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Naked Sleeping Woman" by Félix Vallotton, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Naked Sleeping Woman" by Félix Vallotton, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Naked Sleeping Woman" by Félix Vallotton, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to
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#64
Two Breton women in a meadow
For "Two Bretonnes in a Prairie", the contours simplify the world without impoverishing it; they focus attention on a few precise relationships of form and tone. Émile Bernard simplifies the volumes in "Two Bretonnes in a Prairie" and surrounds the colors, giving the Breton scene a force of memory rather than a simple outdoor effect. For "Two Bretonnes in a Prairie" by Émile Bernard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Two Bretonnes in a Prairie" by Émile Bernard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Two Bretonnes in a Prairie" by Émile Bernard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Two Bretonnes in a Prairie" by Émile Bernard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Two Bretonnes in a Prairie" by Émile Bernard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Two Bretonnes in a Prairie" by Émile Bernard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down:
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#65
The Alyscamps
For "Les Alyscamps", the setting takes up as much space as the human subject, so much so that looking amounts to negotiating between presence and motif. Gauguin gives "Les Alyscamps" firm contours and flat areas full of memory; reality becomes the starting point of a mental image. "Les Alyscamps" is dated 1888 and kept at the Musée d’Orsay, Paris; it measures 91.5 x 72.5 cm. For "Les Alyscamps" by Paul Gauguin, the eye measures 91.5 x 72.5 cm. For "Les Alyscamps" by Paul Gauguin, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Les Alyscamps" by Paul Gauguin, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Les Alyscamps" by Paul Gauguin, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Les Alyscamps" by Paul Gauguin, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Les Alyscamps" by Paul Gauguin, the eye finds a precise reason to slow
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#66
Apollo's chariot
For "The Chariot of Apollo", an unexpected angle organizes the composition, leaving ordinary gestures with a discreet tension that the subject alone did not announce. Redon makes "The Chariot of Apollo" an apparition rather than a description; color gives the dream a material precise enough to remain after waking up. For "The Chariot of Apollo" by Odilon Redon, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "The Chariot of Apollo" by Odilon Redon, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "The Chariot of Apollo" by Odilon Redon, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "The Chariot of Apollo" by Odilon Redon, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "The Chariot of Apollo" by Odilon Redon, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "The Chariot of Apollo" by Odilon Redon, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the
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#67
Autumn
For "Autumn", a few firm lines are enough to establish the place, then the colors broaden this first reference point towards a more interior sensation. Puvis de Chavannes gives "Autumn" a slow rhythm, silent figures and reduced depth which offered the Nabis a monumental precedent. For "Autumn" by Puvis de Chavannes, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too much-pressed glances. In "Autumn" by Puvis de Chavannes, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of overly hurried glances. In "Autumn" by Puvis de Chavannes, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of overly hurried glances. In "Autumn" by Puvis de Chavannes, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of overly hurried glances. In "Autumn" by Puvis de Chavannes, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of overly hurried glances. In "Autumn" by Puvis de Chavannes, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of overly hurried glances. In "Autumn" by Puvis de Chavannes, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable
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#68
The Port Haliguen Lighthouse
For "Le Phare du Port Haliguen", color here carries the atmosphere before the light, giving the motif a mental as well as descriptive presence. Maxime Maufra gives "Le Phare du Port Haliguen" a surface organized by contour, color and rhythm rather than by the illusion of perfectly wise depth. For "Le Phare du Port Haliguen" by Maxime Maufra, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "Le Phare du Port Haliguen" by Maxime Maufra, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "Le Phare du Port Haliguen" by Maxime Maufra, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "Le Phare du Port Haliguen" by Maxime Maufra, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "Le Phare du Port Haliguen" by Maxime Maufra, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "Le Phare du Port Haliguen" by Maxime Maufra, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "Le Phare du Port Haliguen" by Maxime Maufra, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "Le Phare du Port Haliguen
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#69
Place Clichy
For "Place Clichy", the stage retains its familiar objects while subjecting them to a flat order where each interval becomes active. Bonnard transforms "Place Clichy" into a fabric of colors, framing and everyday details where the eye often discovers the figure after the decor. Now kept at the Norton Simon Museum (Pasadena), "Place Clichy" is dated 1900 and measures 35 x 98.5 cm. For "Place Clichy" by Pierre Bonnard, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Place Clichy" by Pierre Bonnard, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Place Clichy" by Pierre Bonnard, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Place Clichy" by Pierre Bonnard, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Place Clichy" by Pierre Bonnard, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Place Clichy" by Pierre Bonnard, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Place Clichy" by Pierre Bonnard,
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#70
The Library
For "The Library", color here carries the atmosphere before the light, giving the motif a mental as well as descriptive presence. Vuillard brings together characters, fabrics and wallpaper in "The Library" until it makes the interior a dense, intimate and slightly undisciplined world. For "The Library" by Édouard Vuillard, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "The Library" by Édouard Vuillard, the painting not only seeks to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "The Library" by Édouard Vuillard, the painting not only seeks to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "The Library" by Édouard Vuillard, the painting not only seeks to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "The Library" by Édouard Vuillard, the painting not only seeks to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "The Library" by Édouard Vuillard, the painting not only seeks to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "The Library" by Édouard Vuillard, the title acts as a small starting point: it announces a motif, a situation or a presence that the painting then transforms into a visual experience.
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#71
Ascent to Calvary
For "Ascent to Calvary", the scene retains its familiar objects while subjecting them to a flat order where each interval becomes active. Maurice Denis constructs "Ascent to Calvary" as an image thought as well as seen: line, symbol and color give the subject a deliberately flat clarity. For "Ascent to Calvary" by Maurice Denis, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Ascent to Calvary" by Maurice Denis, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Ascent to Calvary" by Maurice Denis, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Ascent to Calvary" by Maurice Denis, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Ascent to Calvary" by Maurice Denis, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Ascent to Calvary" by Maurice Denis, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Ascent to Calvary" by Maurice Denis, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Ascent to Calv
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#72
Breton Wrestling
For "La Lutte bretonne", the motif remains identifiable, but it is reconstructed as a series of colorful rhythms rather than copied with photographic obedience. Sérusier treats "La Lutte bretonne" as an organization of colored signs: the observed motif remains present, but the surface affirms its own logic. For "La Lutte bretonne" by Paul Sérusier, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "La Lutte bretonne" by Paul Sérusier, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "La Lutte bretonne" by Paul Sérusier, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "La Lutte bretonne" by Paul Sérusier, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "La Lutte bretonne" by Paul Sérusier, the painting avoids anonymity because it carries a recognizable subject; light, framing and material then give it its own personality.
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#73
Forgiveness
For "Le Pardon", the shapes approach the edge and transform the canvas into a continuous space, without a background condemned to playing extras. Émile Bernard simplifies the volumes in "Le Pardon" and surrounds the colors, giving the Breton scene a force of memory rather than a simple outdoor effect. For "Le Pardon" by Émile Bernard, the composition is read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Le Pardon" by Émile Bernard, the composition is read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Le Pardon" by Émile Bernard, the composition is read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Le Pardon" by Émile Bernard, the composition can be read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Le Pardon" by Émile Bernard, the composition can be read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Le Pardon" by Émile Bernard, the composition can be read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Le Pardon" by Émile Bernard, the composition can be read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Le Pardon" by Émile Bernard,
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#74
The Loss of Childhood
For "The Loss of Virginage", an unexpected angle organizes the composition, leaving ordinary gestures with a discreet tension that the subject alone did not announce. Gauguin gives "The Loss of Virginage" firm contours and flat areas full of memory; reality becomes the starting point of a mental image. "The Loss of Virginage" is dated 1890-1891; it measures 89 x 130 cm; it is kept at the Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk. For "The Loss of Virginage" by Paul Gauguin, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: for "The Loss of Virginage" by Paul Gauguin, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "The Loss of Virginage" by Paul Gauguin, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "The Loss of Virginage" by Paul Gauguin, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "The Loss of Virginage" by Paul Gauguin, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "The Loss of Virginage" by Paul Gauguin, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "The Loss of Virginage
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#75
The conversation
For "The Conversation", the surface alternates calm areas and tighter passages, like a score where the motif itself regulates the tempo of the gaze. Vuillard brings together characters, fabrics and wallpaper in "The Conversation" until it makes the interior a dense, intimate and slightly undisciplined world. "The conversation" is kept at the National Gallery. For "The Conversation" by Édouard Vuillard, the painting is not only intended to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "The Conversation" by Édouard Vuillard, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "The Conversation" by Édouard Vuillard, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "The Conversation" by Édouard Vuillard, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "The Conversation" by Édouard Vuillard, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "The Conversation" by Édouard Vuillard, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "The Conversation" by Édouard Vuillard, the painting not only seeks to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "The Conversation" by Édouard Vuillard, the painting not only seeks to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where
Discover →Rippl-Rónai, Filiger, Bernard, Anquetin, Redon and related painters widen the route without leaving painting.
#76
The Cha-U-Kao clown
For "La clownesse Cha-U-Kao", the composition refuses the spectacular effect and prefers a more lasting tension between human presence, decor and memory. Toulouse-Lautrec frames "La clownesse Cha-U-Kao" as close as possible to bodies and artificial light, making nightlife a cutting composition rather than a pleasant anecdote. In "La clownesse Cha-U-Kao", the work is kept at the Musée d'Orsay. For "La clownesse Cha-U-Kao" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable motif effect, this great disease of too much-pressured glances. In "La clownesse Cha-U-Kao", this work is kept at the Musée d'Orsay. For "La clownesse Cha-U-Kao" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable motif effect, this great disease of overly hurried looks. In "La clownesse Cha-U-Kao" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable motif effect, this great disease of overly hurried looks. In "La clownesse Cha-U-Kao" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable motif effect, this great disease of overly hurried looks. In "La clownesse Cha-U-Kao" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, on the scale of interest comes from the subject itself: it gives the reader a concrete grip before letting color, light and detail do the rest.
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#77
Vase of Flowers
For "Vase of Flowers", rhythm arises from a repetition of slightly offset shapes, regular enough to unite the image and free enough to animate it. Redon makes "Vase of Flowers" an appearance rather than a description; color gives the dream a material precise enough to remain after waking up. Now kept at the Museum of Fine Arts, "Vase of Flowers". For "Vase of Flowers" by Odilon Redon, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Odilon Redon adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In Odilon Redon's "Vase of Flowers", the dosage between observation and memory remains decisive; Odilon Redon adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In Odilon Redon's "Vase of Flowers", the dosage between observation and memory remains decisive; Odilon Redon adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In Odilon Redon's "Vase of Flowers", the dosage between observation and memory remains decisive; Odilon Redon adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In Odilon Redon's "Vase of Flowers", the dosage between observation and memory remains decisive; Odilon Redon adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In Odilon Redon's "Vase of Flowers", the dosage between observation and memory remains decisive; Odilon Redon adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In Odilon Redon's "Vase of Flowers", the dosage between observation and
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#78
The work
For "Le Travail", the scene retains its familiar objects while subjecting them to a flat order where each interval becomes active. Puvis de Chavannes gives "Le Travail" a slow rhythm, silent figures and reduced depth which offered the Nabis a monumental precedent. For "Le Travail" by Puvis de Chavannes, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Le Travail" by Puvis de Chavannes, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Le Travail" by Puvis de Chavannes, the painting comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Le Travail" by Puvis de Chavannes, the painting comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Le Travail" by Puvis de Chavannes, the painting comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Le Travail" by Puvis de Chavannes, the painting comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Le Travail" by Puvis de Chavannes, the painting avoids anonymity because it carries a recognizable subject; light, framing and material then give it its own
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#79
The red cliffs of Octeville, Basse-Seine
For "The red cliffs of Octeville, Basse-Seine", color connects distant elements and gives the whole a coherence that perspective no longer needs to administer. Maxime Maufra gives "The red cliffs of Octeville, Basse-Seine" a surface organized by contour, color and rhythm rather than by the illusion of a perfectly wise depth. For "The red cliffs of Octeville, Basse-Seine" by Maxime Maufra, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too much-squeezed looks. For "The red cliffs of Octeville, Basse-Seine" by Maxime Maufra, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too much-squeezed looks. For "The red cliffs of Octeville, Basse-Seine" by Maxime Maufra, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too much-squeezed looks. In "The red cliffs of Octeville, Basse-Seine" by Maxime Maufra, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too much-squeezed looks. In "The red cliffs of Octeville, Basse-Seine" by Maxime Maufra, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too much-squeezed looks. In "The red cliffs of Octeville, Bas concrete: reflection, bank, boat or pond organize the depth and prevent the light from floating without subject.
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#80
The toilet
For "La Toilette", the contours simplify the world without impoverishing it; they focus attention on a few precise relationships of form and tone. Bonnard transforms "La Toilette" into a fabric of colors, framing and daily details where the eye often discovers the figure after the decor. "La Toilette" is dated 1914-1921 and kept at the Musée d'Orsay; it measures 119 x 79 cm. For "La Toilette" by Pierre Bonnard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, an edge, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "La Toilette" by Pierre Bonnard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "La Toilette" by Pierre Bonnard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "La Toilette" by Pierre Bonnard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "La Toilette" by Pierre Bonnard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "La Toilette" by Pierre Bonnard, here, the reading begins with the subject, then moves towards light and general balance; this is often where the painting gains its character.
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#81
Two seamstresses under the lamp
For "Two seamstresses under the lamp", the scene seems familiar, but its framing and color relationships give it the concentration of a recomposed memory. Vuillard brings together characters, fabrics and wallpaper in "Two seamstresses under the lamp" until it makes the interior a dense, intimate and slightly undisciplined world. For "Two seamstresses under the lamp" by Édouard Vuillard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, an edge, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Two seamstresses under the lamp" by Édouard Vuillard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, an edge, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Two seamstresses under the lamp" by Édouard Vuillard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, an edge, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Two seamstresses under the lamp" by Édouard Vuillard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, an edge, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Two seamstresses under the lamp" by Édouard Vuillard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, an edge, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Two seamstresses under the lamp" by Édouard Vuillard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, an edge, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Two seamstresses under
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#82
Landscape with green trees
For "Landscape with Green Trees", the space reads like an active tapestry where the patterns lead the eye without providing it with a very convenient central corridor. Maurice Denis constructs "Landscape with Green Trees" as an image thought as well as seen: line, symbol and color give the subject a deliberately flat clarity. For "Landscape with Green Trees" by Maurice Denis, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too much attention. In "Landscape with Green Trees" by Maurice Denis, on the scale of the image, this singularity matters a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too eager glances. In "Landscape with Green Trees" by Maurice Denis, on the scale of the image, this singularity matters a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too eager glances. In "Landscape with Green Trees" by Maurice Denis, on the scale of the image, this singularity matters a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too hurried glances. In "Landscape with Green Trees" by Maurice Denis, on the scale of the image, this singularity matters a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too hurried glances. In "Landscape with Green Trees" by Maurice Denis, on the scale of the image, this singularity matters a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too eager glances. In "Landscape with Green Trees" by Maurice Denis, on the scale of the image, this singular
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#83
The Bathers
For "Les Baigneuses", the shapes approach the edge and transform the canvas into a continuous space, without a background condemned to playing extras. Émile Bernard simplifies the volumes in "Les Baigneuses" and surrounds the colors, giving the Breton scene a force of memory rather than a simple outdoor effect. For "Les Baigneuses" by Émile Bernard, the composition can be read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Les Baigneuses" by Émile Bernard, the composition can be read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Les Baigneuses" by Émile Bernard, the composition can be read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Les Baigneuses" by Émile Bernard, the composition can be read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Les Baigneuses" by Émile Bernard, the composition can be read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Les Baigneuses" by Émile Bernard, the composition can be read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Les Baigneuses" by Émile Bernard, the composition can be read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of
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#84
Fields in Pouldu, or Landscape in Pouldu
For "Champs au Pouldu, or Paysage au Pouldu", everyday life loses its banality as soon as the lines and surfaces begin to organize their own conversation. Gauguin gives "Champs au Pouldu, or Paysage au Pouldu" firm contours and flat areas full of memory; reality becomes the starting point of a mental image. "Champs au Pouldu, or Landscape au Pouldu" is kept at the National Gallery. For "Champs au Pouldu, or Landscape au Pouldu" by Paul Gauguin, the composition can be read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Champs au Pouldu, or Landscape au Pouldu" by Paul Gauguin, the composition can be read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Champs au Pouldu, or Landscape au Pouldu" by Paul Gauguin, the composition can be read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Champs au Pouldu, or Landscape au Pouldu" by Paul Gauguin, the composition can be read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Champs au Pouldu, or Landscape au Pouldu" by Paul Gauguin, the composition can be read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting
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#85
Woman in the street
For "Woman in the Street", an unexpected angle organizes the composition, leaving ordinary gestures with a discreet tension that the subject alone did not announce. Anquetin surrounds figures and lights with an almost glazed frankness in "Woman in the Street"; the modern city thus gains an immediately readable structure. For "Woman in the Street" by Louis Anquetin, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Woman in the Street" by Louis Anquetin, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Woman in the Street" by Louis Anquetin, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Woman in the Street" by Louis Anquetin, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Woman in the Street" by Louis Anquetin, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Woman in the Street" by Louis Anquetin, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Woman in the Street" by Louis Anquetin, strength comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live.
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#86
The birth of Venus
For "The Birth of Venus", the motif remains identifiable, but it is reconstructed as a series of colorful rhythms rather than copied with photographic obedience. Redon makes "The Birth of Venus" an apparition rather than a description; color gives the dream a material precise enough to remain after waking up. For "The Birth of Venus" by Odilon Redon, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "The Birth of Venus" by Odilon Redon, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "The Birth of Venus" by Odilon Redon, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "The Birth of Venus" by Odilon Redon, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "The Birth of Venus" by Odilon Redon, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "The Birth of Venus" by Odilon Redon, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "The Birth of Venus" by Odilon Redon, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough
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#87
Rest
For "Le Repos", the gaze enters through a clear outline, then is pleasantly lost between fabric, foliage and silhouette without finding a completely secondary plan. Puvis de Chavannes gives "Le Repos" a slow rhythm, silent figures and a reduced depth which offered the Nabis a monumental precedent. For "Le Repos" by Puvis de Chavannes, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Puvis de Chavannes adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In "Le Repos" by Puvis de Chavannes, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Puvis de Chavannes adjusts the distance until he maintains presence and memory in the same surface. In "Le Repos" by Puvis de Chavannes, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Puvis de Chavannes adjusts the distance until he maintains presence and memory in the same surface. In "Le Repos" by Puvis de Chavannes, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Puvis de Chavannes adjusts the distance until he maintains presence and memory in the same surface. In "Le Repos" by Puvis de Chavannes, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Puvis de Chavannes adjusts the distance until he maintains presence and memory in the same surface. In "Le Repos" by Puvis de Chavannes, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Puvis de Chavannes adjusts the distance until he maintains presence and memory in the same surface. In "Le Repos" by Puvis de Chavannes, the painting avoids anonymity because it carries a recognizable subject; in "Le Repos" by Puvis de Chav
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#88
The Beach in Morgat, Finistère
For "La Plage à Morgat, Finistère", the surface alternates calm areas and tighter passages, like a score where the motif itself regulates the tempo of the gaze. Maxime Maufra gives "La Plage à Morgat, Finistère" a surface organized by contour, color and rhythm rather than by the illusion of perfectly wise depth. For "La Plage à Morgat, Finistère" by Maxime Maufra, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "La Plage à Morgat, Finistère" by Maxime Maufra, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "La Plage à Morgat, Finistère" by Maxime Maufra, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "La Plage à Morgat, Finistère" by Maxime Maufra, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "La Plage à Morgat, Finistère" by Maxime Maufra, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "La Plage à Morgat, Finistère" by Maxime Maufra, the painting does not only seek to seduce; it affirms a way of seeing where matter, distance and light work together. In "La Plage à Morgat, Finistère" by Maxime Maufra, the
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#89
Nap
For "Sieste", the scene retains its familiar objects while subjecting them to a flat order where each interval becomes active. Bonnard transforms "Sieste" into a fabric of colors, framing and everyday details where the eye often discovers the figure after the setting. Dated 1900, "Sieste" is kept at the National Gallery of Victoria (Melbourne) and measures 109 x 132 cm. For "Sieste" by Pierre Bonnard, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Sieste" by Pierre Bonnard, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Sieste" by Pierre Bonnard, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Sieste" by Pierre Bonnard, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Sieste" by Pierre Bonnard, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Sieste" by Pierre Bonnard, the force comes from less a burst of brilliance than a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Sieste" by Pierre Bonnard, the force comes from less a burst of brilliance than a
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#90
The dining room, rue des Batignolles
For "The dining room, rue des Batignolles", the shapes approach the edge and transform the canvas into a continuous space, without a background condemned to playing extras. Vuillard brings together characters, fabrics and wallpaper in "The dining room, rue des Batignolles" until it makes the interior a dense, intimate and slightly undisciplined world. For "The dining room, rue des Batignolles" by Édouard Vuillard, the composition can be read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "The dining room, rue des Batignolles" by Édouard Vuillard, the composition can be read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "The dining room, rue des Batignolles" by Édouard Vuillard, the composition can be read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "The dining room, rue des Batignolles" by Édouard Vuillard, the composition can be read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "The dining room, rue des Batignolles" by Édouard Vuillard, the composition can be read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "The dining room, rue des Batignolles" by Édouard Vuillard, the composition can be read in stages: first the motif, then the masses, then the passages
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#91
Portrait of Yvonne Lerolle in three aspects
For "Portrait of Yvonne Lerolle in three aspects", the scene seems familiar, but its framing and color relationships give it the concentration of a recomposed memory. Maurice Denis constructs "Portrait of Yvonne Lerolle in three aspects" as an image thought as well as seen: line, symbol and color give the subject a deliberately flat clarity. For "Portrait of Yvonne Lerolle in three aspects" by Maurice Denis, the gaze finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Portrait of Yvonne Lerolle in three aspects" by Maurice Denis, the gaze finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Portrait of Yvonne Lerolle in three aspects" by Maurice Denis, the gaze finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Portrait of Yvonne Lerolle in three aspects" by Maurice Denis, the gaze finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Portrait of Yvonne Lerolle in three aspects" by Maurice Denis, the gaze finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Portrait of Yvonne Lerolle in three aspects" by Maurice Denis, the gaze finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or
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#92
Portrait of my sister Madeleine
For "Portrait of my sister Madeleine", the contours simplify the world without impoverishing it; they focus attention on a few precise relationships of form and tone. Émile Bernard simplifies the volumes in "Portrait of my sister Madeleine" and surrounds the colors, giving the Breton scene a force of memory rather than a simple outdoor effect. For "Portrait of my sister Madeleine" by Émile Bernard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Portrait of my sister Madeleine" by Émile Bernard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Portrait of my sister Madeleine" by Émile Bernard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Portrait of my sister Madeleine" by Émile Bernard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Portrait of my sister Madeleine" by Émile Bernard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Portrait of my sister Madeleine" by Émile Bernard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Portrait of my sister Madeleine" by Émile Bernard, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the
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#93
Women of Tahiti
For "Femmes de Tahiti", an unexpected angle organizes the composition, leaving ordinary gestures with a discreet tension that the subject alone did not announce. Gauguin gives "Femmes de Tahiti" firm contours and flat areas full of memory; reality becomes the starting point of a mental image. "Women of Tahiti" is dated 1891; it measures 69 x 91 cm; it is kept at the Musée d’Orsay, Paris. For "Women of Tahiti" by Paul Gauguin, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: For "Women of Tahiti" by Paul Gauguin, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Women of Tahiti" by Paul Gauguin, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Women of Tahiti" by Paul Gauguin, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Women of Tahiti" by Paul Gauguin, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Women of Tahiti" by Paul Gauguin, the force comes less from a burst of brilliance than from a balance: enough structure to guide the eye, enough breathing to let the scene live. In "Women of Tahiti" by Paul Gaugu
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#94
The silence
For "Le Silence", the intimacy of the motif lies in its proximity, but the simplification of the shots prevents the scene from closing in on the anecdote. Redon makes "Le Silence" an apparition rather than a description; color gives the dream a material precise enough to remain after waking up. For "Le Silence" by Odilon Redon, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Le Silence" by Odilon Redon, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Le Silence" by Odilon Redon, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "Le Silence" by Odilon Redon, the painting avoids anonymity because it carries a recognizable subject; the painting then avoids anonymity because it carries a recognizable subject; light, framing and material then give it its own personality.
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#95
Peace
For "Peace", the composition refuses the spectacular effect and prefers a more lasting tension between human presence, decor and memory. Puvis de Chavannes gives "Peace" a slow rhythm, silent figures and reduced depth which offered the Nabis a monumental precedent. For "Peace" by Puvis de Chavannes, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable motif effect, this great disease of too much-squeezed glances. In "Peace" by Puvis de Chavannes, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable motif effect, this great disease of overly hurried glances. In "Peace" by Puvis de Chavannes, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable motif effect, this great disease of overly hurried glances. In "Peace" by Puvis de Chavannes, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable motif effect, this great disease of overly hurried glances. In "Peace" by Puvis de Chavannes, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable motif effect, this great disease of overly hurried glances. In "Peace" by Puvis de Chavannes, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable motif effect, this great disease of overly hurried glances. In "Peace"
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#96
The canal path in Gravelines
For "Le chemin du canal à Gravelines", the landscape advances in bands and curves; the space observed becomes a decorative construction without losing its sensitive weather. Henri Le Sidaner gives "Le chemin du canal à Gravelines" a surface organized by contour, color and rhythm rather than by the illusion of a perfectly wise depth. For "Le chemin du canal à Gravelines" by Henri Le Sidaner, the composition is read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Le chemin du canal à Gravelines" by Henri Le Sidaner, the composition can be read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Le chemin du canal à Gravelines" by Henri Le Sidaner, the composition can be read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Le chemin du canal à Gravelines" by Henri Le Sidaner, the composition can be read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Le chemin du canal à Gravelines" by Henri Le Sidaner, the composition can be read in stages: first the pattern, then the masses, then the passages of light which give the painting its true tempo. In "Le chemin du canal à Gravelines" by Henri Le Sidaner, the composition can be read in stages: first the pattern, then the
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#97
The bottom of the port of Goulphar, Belle-Île en Mer
For "The bottom of the port of Goulphar, Belle-Île en Mer", the scene seems familiar, but its framing and color relationships give it the concentration of a recomposed memory. Maxime Maufra gives "The bottom of the port of Goulphar, Belle-Île en Mer" a surface organized by contour, color and rhythm rather than by the illusion of a perfectly wise depth. For "The bottom of the port of Goulphar, Belle-Île en Mer" by Maxime Maufra, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "The Bottom of the Port of Goulphar, Belle-Île en Mer" by Maxime Maufra, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "The Bottom of the Port of Goulphar, Belle-Île en Mer" by Maxime Maufra, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "The Bottom of the Port of Goulphar, Belle-Île en Mer" by Maxime Maufra, the eye finds a precise reason to slow down: a line, a bank, a profile or a contrast which gives the painting its little authority. In "The Bottom of the Port of Goulphar, Belle-Île en Mer" by Maxime Maufra, the eye
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#98
Bathers, Pouldu beach
For "Baigneuses, plage du Pouldu", the rhythm is born from a repetition of slightly offset shapes, regular enough to unite the image and free enough to animate it. Maurice Denis constructs "Baigneuses, plage du Pouldu" as an image thought as well as seen: line, symbol and color give the subject a deliberately flat clarity. For "Baigneuses, plage du Pouldu" by Maurice Denis, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Maurice Denis adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In "Baigneuses, plage du Pouldu" by Maurice Denis, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Maurice Denis adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In "Baigneuses, plage du Pouldu" by Maurice Denis, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Maurice Denis adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In "Baigneuses, plage du Pouldu" by Maurice Denis, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Maurice Denis adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In "Baigneuses, plage du Pouldu" by Maurice Denis, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Maurice Denis adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the same surface. In "Baigneuses, plage du Pouldu" by Maurice Denis, the balance between observation and memory remains decisive; Maurice Denis adjusts the distance until presence and memory are held in the
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#99
Dinner, lamp effect
For "The Dinner, Lamp Effect", the space reads like an active tapestry where the patterns lead the eye without providing it with a convenient central corridor. Vallotton cuts out "The Dinner, Lamp Effect" with sharp silhouettes, sharp angles and a psychological distance which transforms the scene into a small social enigma. For "The Dinner, Lamp Effect" by Félix Vallotton, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too much-squeezed glances. In "The Dinner, Lamp Effect" by Félix Vallotton, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too eager glances. In "The Dinner, Lamp Effect" by Félix Vallotton, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too eager glances. In "The Dinner, Lamp Effect" by Félix Vallotton, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too hurried glances. In "The Dinner, Lamp Effect" by Félix Vallotton, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot: it avoids the interchangeable pattern effect, this great disease of too hurried glances. In "The Dinner, Lamp Effect" by Félix Vallotton, on the scale of the image, this singularity counts a lot:
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#100
Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?
The intimacy of the motif lies in its proximity, but the simplification of the shots prevents the scene from closing in on the anecdote. Gauguin gives "Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?" firm contours and flat areas full of memory; reality becomes the starting point of a mental image. "Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?" is dated 1897; it measures 139.1 x 374.6 cm; it is kept at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. For "Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?" is dated 1897; it measures 139.1 x 374.6 cm; it is kept at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. For "Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?" is dated 1897; it measures 139.1 x 374.6 cm; it is kept at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. For "Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?" is dated 1897; it measures 139.1 x 374.6 cm; it is kept at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. For "Where do we come from? What are we? Where are we going?" is dated 1897; it measures 139.1 x 374.6 cm; it is kept at are we coming? What are we? Where are we going? by Paul Gauguin, the subject retains enough presence and light to avoid the impression of a simple decorative variant.
Discover →What the ranking reveals
One hundred paintings and several ways of living with a wall
The Nabis wanted to bring art closer to life without making one or the other more banal. Their flat areas, their settings and their intimate scenes transform a room or a garden into a mental space as constructed as a large story scene.
Color stops obeying
A green, yellow or red can carry an emotion before correctly describing the grass, the sun or a dress.
The pattern eats up depth
Wallpaper, foliage and clothing bring together figure and background until you make the look a patient game of recognition.
The intimate becomes monumental
A seam, a meal, or a silent conversation acquire the density once reserved for battles and busy gods.
Decoration thinks
Decorative panels and sets not only fill the space: they organize a complete experience of color, rhythm and memory.
Chronology of the prophets of color
Five dates to follow the Nabi adventure
In Pont-Aven, Sérusier painted, under the leadership of Gauguin, a small landscape with liberated colors which became the group's portable manifesto.
Sérusier, Denis, Bonnard, Ranson, Ibels and their friends form a brotherhood whose Hebrew name means prophets; dinners suddenly take on a very decorative gravity.
Japanese prints encourage flat areas, soft lines, cut framing and spaces without illusionistic depth.
Vuillard, Bonnard, Denis and Roussel design sets for apartments where painting, walls and furniture are finally starting to speak to each other.
The trajectories diverge, but Bonnard and Vuillard prolong the intimacy while Denis, Vallotton and the others each pursue their idea of the modern surface.
The Nabis in depth
Why do the Nabis make painting so intimate?
The Nabi group is formed around young artists marked by Gauguin, Pont-Aven, synthetism, Japanese prints and symbolism. Their name comes from the Hebrew nabi, prophet, which is ambitious for painters often very busy with tablecloths, rooms, gardens and decorative panels. But the ambition is real: to release color, simplify shapes, assert the surface of the painting and give the decor poetic power.
Paul Sérusier plays the role of trigger with Le Talisman, a small painting born under the influence of Gauguin. The landscape becomes a construction of colors, almost a magic formula for modernity. Trees, water and light transform into flat areas. The painting seems modest in size, but it opens a huge door. It shows that a talisman does not need to make much noise to move furniture from art history.
Pierre Bonnard gives the Nabis daily warmth. His garden, dining room or domestic moment scenes circulate color everywhere: on the walls, clothes, tables, shadows. The subject seems simple, but the composition is skillfully organized. At Bonnard, a tablecloth can become a landscape, a window can become an event, and a dining room can lead a very active interior life.
Édouard Vuillard pushes intimacy towards an almost textile density. Its interiors envelop the characters in wallpapers, hangings, dresses and patterns. The figures sometimes seem absorbed by their own decor, as if the house is thinking in a low voice. Vuillard transforms the room into an atmosphere, and the atmosphere into a subject. Even a living room corner seems capable of keeping a family secret with admirable discretion.
Maurice Denis gives the group an essential theoretical basis: before being a hobby horse, a naked woman or an anecdote, a painting is a flat surface covered with colors assembled in a certain order. This famous phrase explains a lot of things: the Nabis do not flee reality, they reorganize it as a motif, rhythm, symbol and decor. It's painting that thinks about painting, but without forgetting to remain pleasant to look at, which is always appreciated.
Félix Vallotton, Paul Ranson, Ker-Xavier Roussel, Georges Lacombe, Aristide Maillol, Jan Verkade and Rippl-Rónai broaden the movement. Vallotton brings a sharp line and dry irony, Ranson slides towards decorative mystery, Lacombe gives the landscape a sculptural force, Roussel installs soft mythologies, Maillol simplifies the figures. The group does not have a single voice: it rather resembles a conversation in a living room where wallpaper actively participates.
In a decoration, Nabis are particularly effective because they already think of the painting as decor. Flat areas, patterns, interiors, gardens, silhouettes and colorful harmonies lend themselves naturally to living rooms, bedrooms, offices and corridors that want warmth without losing their finesse. Bonnard illuminates, Vuillard envelops, Denis structures, Vallotton sharpens. The walls obtain a cultivated presence, and no one is obliged to speak too loudly.
This Top only brings together paintings where the Nabi spirit appears clearly: synthetic color, simplification, Japanese influence, intimacy, decor and symbolism. Some come from the core of the group, others from its immediate relatives, because the Nabis are less a border than a way of looking. They remind us that a room or a garden can become a complete world, especially when color decides to hold the conversation.
Four reading keys
Look without looking for the window right away
Surface, pattern, color and framing explain why these paintings seem simple at first glance and then much less docile as soon as the eye begins to circulate.
Accept the flat
The painting affirms its flatness; depth comes from shape relationships rather than a well-swept perspective corridor.
Compare figure and background
Fabrics, walls and foliage bring the shots together until the characters appear in small differences.
Read the emotion
Shades do not necessarily copy natural light; they give memory, the sacred or the intimate their temperature.
Observe the cuts
High angles, truncated silhouettes and off-center compositions show the influence of Japan and modern life.
Verifiable Nabi Library
Continue after the hundredth painting
Musée d'Orsay, Metropolitan Museum, museums dedicated to Bonnard and Maurice Denis, Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons allow you to check dates, techniques, dimensions and collections. The prophets also appreciate good records.
In Alpha Reproduction
01Paul SérusierThe masters of Nabis02Paul GauguinThe masters of Nabis03Felix VallottonThe masters of Nabis04Pierre BonnardThe masters of Nabis05Édouard VuillardThe masters of Nabis06Maurice DenisThe masters of Nabis07Paul RansonThe masters of Nabis08Georges LacombeThe masters of Nabis09Louis AnquetinThe masters of Nabis10Aristide MaillolThe masters of Nabis11The NabisCollections & guides12Nabis reproductionsCollections & guides13Famous paintingsCollections & guides14All the famous top paintingsCollections & guides15Reproductions Pierre BonnardCollections & guides16Reproductions Édouard VuillardCollections & guides17Reproductions Maurice DenisCollections & guides18All reproductions of paintingsCollections & guidesFrequently asked questions
The Nabis without a mandatory secret society
The essential answers to understand their name, their painters, their influences and the hundred paintings along the way.
Who are the Nabis?
The Nabis are a group of artists active at the end of the 19th century, around Sérusier, Bonnard, Vuillard, Maurice Denis, Vallotton, Ranson and some close to symbolism and Pont-Aven.
Why is The Talisman important?
Because this little painting by Sérusier condenses Gauguin's influence: flat areas, simplification, expressive color. It becomes a discreet manifesto, but very effective.
What role does Bonnard play?
Bonnard brings a warm, intimate and colorful painting, where daily life becomes decorative rhythm. At home, tables and windows have a real visual career.
Why is Vuillard so associated with interiors?
Because it transforms rooms, wallpapers, dresses and hangings into dense atmospheres. The characters and motifs mingle there as in a domestic memory.
What did Maurice Denis mean?
He recalled that a painting is first and foremost a flat surface organized by colors. This idea helps to understand Nabi modernity: less illusion, more assumed composition.
Are the Nabis close to Japonism?
Yes. They often use flat areas, framing and decorative surfaces inspired by Japanese prints, but mix them with symbolism, intimacy and modern decor.
Is nabi paint suitable for an interior?
Alright. The Nabis already think about the relationship between image, wall and decor. They bring warmth, patterns, intimacy and color without transforming the room into a room that is too solemn.
Why do the Nabis remain modern?
Because they assert the surface of the painting, simplify the shapes and give the decor real artistic value. They make everyday life denser, more colorful, and frankly better dressed.
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