He was the son of the mayor of Limoges, and sensed his artistic vocation early. Working first in Limoges, then at the Academie Julian in Paris, he married in 1884 the woman he later nicknamed "La Lumiere du Temple" (Light of the Temple). His studio in the boulevard Montparnasse became the venue chosen for the Nabis' Saturday meetings. Ranson took part in the first Nabist exhibition at Le Barc de Boutteville in 1891, and in all subsequent Nabist exhibitions. Yet his style remained academic. With Maillol's encouragement he composed various tapestry designs and built a puppet theatre for which he wrote no fewer than seven plays (Abbe Prout, Guignol pour les Vieux En/ants). His widow founded the Academie Paul Ranson, which became the centre of Nabist teaching. Ranson was a friend of Serusier and devoted much study to the art of Gauguin and the Middle Ages.

Post-Impressionism, Michel-Claude Jalard, Edito Service SA, Geneva