Synthetism

Synthetism (1889-1893)

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OVERVIEW	Synthetisme was the term used by artists who were close to Gauguin at Pont-Aven during 1886-1890. A painting was meant to synthesize the artist’s impressions and memories. During the Universal Exposition of 1889, an exhibition of Synthetisme was held, and a Groupe Synthetiste was formed in 1891.





HISTORY	Synthetism was an artistic movement that marked a definitive break with Impressionism. Rotonchamp, Gauguin's first biographer, defined "synthesis" as "an intentional simplification of line, forms, and colors in order to give maximum expressive intensity by suppressing everything capable of lessening the impact." This break with Impressionism was more thorough than the approaches of Cézanne and Seurat, who preferred to betray Impressionism through extrapolation. In contrast, Synthetism inverts the relationship between painting and reality: the painter uses nature rather than merely obeying it. But what does Rotonchamp mean by "maximum intensity"? This concept speaks to the Symbolist viewpoint, which was articulated more explicitly by Émile Bernard, who was admittedly influenced by his friend Aurier rather than Gauguin himself. For Symbolists, nature was not a tool for confessional purposes; rather, its essence was to be distilled through the artist’s imaginative power. Bernard stated, "Because an idea consists of things collected by the imagination, a painter should not paint the object in front of him, but should seek to recapture it in the mental image he has collected. For memory does not retain everything, only what is striking. So, colors and shapes become uniformly simplified. By painting from memory, I have the advantage of abolishing the useless complexity of form and tone. Each line resumes its geometrical and architectural value, each color its prismatic color category." This approach laid the groundwork for decorative art and pure color long before Fauvism would emerge. Moreover, the Synthetism of 1888 had a philosophical underpinning rooted in a form of visionary Platonism, which informed its unique style. Aurier articulated these ideas in an important article about Gauguin, which could be seen as a manifesto for the new trend in art. He asserted that a work of art ought to be (a) idealistic, aiming solely at expressing ideas; (b) symbolic, as it represents these ideas in form; (c) synthetic, as it arranges these forms according to universally understood signs; (d) subjective, because the object is never treated merely as an object but as a manifestation of an idea perceived by the subject; and (e) decorative, as truly decorative art—understood by the Egyptians—represents a subjective, synthetic, symbolic, and ideal manifestation of art. The Synthetists did not embrace the liberties with the external world that early 20th-century painters did, because they believed that the world already contained the ideal for those capable of seeing and transposing it. It was essential to abstract the idea from the exterior world and simplify it; as Bernard pointed out, "Anything superfluous in a scene veils that scene with a reality which claims our visual attention, rather than our soul." The goal was to summarize the scene in its own sense and according to its own harmonious reality—to stylize it, or, as Gauguin put it, to distill an "abstraction" from it. In Gauguin's work, the plastic aspect never overshadowed the emotive significance of the scene. This emotive quality had the power to transform a representation, adding new symbolic elements. For instance, Gauguin's Lutte de Jacob avec L'Ange depicts, in a single sweep, a Breton woman emerging from Mass alongside the vision they have of the biblical episode narrated in the sermon they have just heard.





CHRONOLOGY	1880 Durand-Ruel resumes buying paintings from Sisley andPissarro. Exhibitions: April 5th Impressionists group; May outwards Salon; April LaVie moderne offices, Manet; June LaVie moderne offices, Monet. 1881 Durand-Ruel resumes buying paintings from Renoir and Monet. Exhibitions: April 6th Impressionists group; May outwards Salon (new organised, under the control of the artists); LaVie moderne offices, Sisley; June LaVie moderne offices, Redon. 1882 Exhibitions: march 7th Impressionists group; May outwards Salon, May LaVie moderne offices, Redon. 1883 April Death of Manet. Exhibitions: Durand-Ruel, series of one-man shows: Boudin (Feb.), Monet (March), Renoir (April), C.Pissarro(May); May outwards Salon, Sept. outwards Exposition Nationale. 1884 Exhibitions: Jan. Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Manet (retrospective); 4-5 Feb. Manet studio sale; May outwards Salon; May-July Salon des Artistes Independants; Dec. Societe des Artistes Independants, 1st exh. 1885 Exhibitions: May outwards Salon; May-June G. Petit, 4th Exposition Internationale. 1886 March, VanGogharrives in Paris.Gauguinvisits Brittany for first time. Death of Monticelli. First Neo-Impressionists paintings shown at 8th and last Impressionist exhibition. Exhibitions: May outwards Salon; May-June 8th impressionists group, June-July 5th Exposition Internationale; Aug.-Sept. Independants. 1887 Gauguinlives in Martinique. Exhibitions: Feb.-March Le Tambourin café, Japanese prints, organised be Vincent vanGogh. March-May Independants; May outwards Salon; May-June 6th Exposition Internationale; spring (?) Le Tambourin café, Dec.-Jan. 1888 Revue independante. 1888 VanGoghleaves Paris for Arles.Gauguinjoined be Bernard at Pont-Aven in Brittany. Oct.,Gauguinjoins VanGoghin Arles. 1888-9, by Serusier, Denis, Bonnard, Ranson, joined 1889 by Vuillard and Roussel. Exhibitions: Jan. Boussod&Valadon (Theo van Gogh); Durand-Ruel, exh. Inc. Degas; March-May Independants; April Boussod&Valadon (Theo van Gogh); Sept.-Oct. Revue independante offices Dubois-Pillet. 1889 Exhibitions: May outwards Salon; May outwards Exposition Universelle; June-July G.Petit, Monet-Rodin (retrospective), Sept.-Oct. Independants; 1890 Death of Vincent vanGogh, Exhibitions: March-May Independants; May outwards Salon des Artistes Francais; May outwards 1st exh. of the Societe Nationale des Beaux-Arts (founded as alternative to the Salon des Artistes Francais, with Meissonier as President, Puvis de Chavannes as Vice-President; often known as the Salon du Champ de Mars). 1891 Deaths of Theo vanGoghandSeurat.Gauguinleaves for Tahiti. Exhibitions: March-April Independants; May outwards Salon des Artistes Francais; May outwards Societe Nationale; Dec. Le Barc de Boutteville, 1st Exposition des Peintres Impressionnistes et Symbolistes. 1892 Exhibitions: Feb. Durand-Ruel, C.Pissarro, Monet; March-April Independants; May Le Barc de Boutteville, 2nd Exposition des Peintres Impressionnistes et Symbolistes; May outwards Salon des Artistes Francais; May outwards Societe Nationale; Nov. Le Barc de Boutteville, 3rd Exposition des Peintres Impressionnistes et Symbolistes; 1893 Death of Pere Tanguy. Vollard opens gallery in rue LaffitteGauguinis back from Tahiti. Exhibitions: March-April Independants; May outwards Salon des Artistes Francais; May outwards Societe Nationale; May (?)Le Barc de Boutteville, 4th Exposition des Peintres Impressionnistes et Symbolistes; Nov. Durand-Ruel,Gauguin,Cassatt, Dec. Le Barc de Boutteville, 5th Exposition des Peintres Impressionnistes et Symbolistes. 1894 Exhibitions: Jan. –Feb. Durand-Ruel, Guillaumin; March Durand-Ruel,Pissarro; March. Le Barc de Boutteville, 6th Exposition des Peintres Impressionnistes et Symbolistes; March-April Durand-Ruel, Redon, April-May Independants; April outwards Societe Nationale; May outwards Salon des Artistes Francais; May Durand-Ruel,Toulouse-Lautrec, Manet, Caillebotte (retrospective), July Le Barc de Boutteville,7th Exposition des Peintres Impressionnistes et Symbolistes; Nov. Le Barc de Boutteville, 8th Exposition des Peintres Impressionnistes et Symbolistes. 1895 Exhibitions: April-May Independants; April-May Le Barc de Boutteville, 9th Exposition des Peintres Impressionnistes et Symbolistes; April outwards Societe Nationale; May outwards Salon des Artistes Francais; May Durand-Ruel, Monet; Sept. Le Barc de Boutteville, 10th Exposition des Peintres Impressionnistes et Symbolistes; Dec.-Jan. 1896 Bing. Salon de l’Art Nouveau. 1896 Exhibitions: Jan. Durand-Ruel, Bonnard, Guillaumin, Morisot (retrospective); c. March. Le Barc de Boutteville, 11th Exposition des Peintres Impressionnistes et Symbolistes; April-May Independants; April-May Durand-Ruel, C.Pissarro, Renoir; April outwards Societe Nationale; May outwards Salon des Artistes Francais; Summer Le Barc de Boutteville, 12th Exposition des Peintres Impressionnistes et Symbolistes; Sept. Durand-Ruel, Puvis de Chavannes; Nov. Le Barc de Boutteville, 13th Exposition des Peintres Impressionnistes et Symbolistes. 1897 Exhibitions: April-May Independants; April outwards Salon des Artistes Francais; April outwards Societe Nationale; June-July Le Barc de Boutteville, 14th Exposition des Peintres Impressionnistes et Symbolistes; Dec. Le Barc de Boutteville, 15th Exposition des Peintres Impressionnistes et Symbolistes. 1898 Exhibitions: Feb.-March Durand-Ruel, Zandomeneghi; April Durand-Ruel, Guillaumin; April-June Independants; May outwards Salon des Artistes Francais; May outwards Societe Nationale; May Durand-Ruel, Moret; June Durand-Ruel, C.Pissarro. 1899 Exhibitions: April Durand-Ruel, C.Pissarro, Renoir, Sisley; May outwards Salon des Artistes Francais; May outwards Societe Nationale; May-June Durand-Ruel , Jongkind (retrospective); June-July Durand-Ruel, Puvis de Chavannes; Oct.-Nov. Durand-Ruel, Luce; Oct.-Nov. Independants. 1900 Picasso first visits Paris. Exhibitions: April Durand-Ruel , Redon; April outwards Salon des Artistes Francais; April-Oct. Exposition Universelle; Nov.-Dec. Durand-Ruel, Monet; Dec. . Independants. 1901 Death ofToulouse-Lautrec. Exhibitions: Jan. Feb. Durand-Ruel, C.Pissarro; March Societe Nouvelle; April Durand-Ruel, Valtat; April-May Independants; April-June Societe Nationale; May outwards Salon des Artistes Francais; May Durand-Ruel, Moret. 1902 Exhibitions: Match-May Independants; April-June Societe Nationale; May outwards Salon des Artistes Francais; May Durand-Ruel,Toulouse-Lautrec. June Durand-Ruel, Renoir, Roussel. 1903 Death ofGauguinin Marquesas Island and of CamillePissarro. Exhibitions: March Durand-Ruel, Redon; Match-May Independants; April-June Societe Nationale; May outwards Salon des Artistes Francais; Oct.-Dec. Salon d’Automne (1st exh.), Nov. Durand-Ruel, Zandomeneghi. 1904 Bernard visits Cezanne at Aix. Exhibitions: Feb-March Durand-Ruel, Moret, Feb.-March Independants; April Durand-Ruel, C.Pissarro; April-June Societe Nationale; May outwards Salon des Artistes Francais; Oct.-Nov. Salon d’Automne. 1905 Exhibitions: March-April Independants; April outwards Societe Nationale; May outwards Salon des Artistes Francais; Oct.-Nov. Salon d’Automne. 1906 Denis and Roussel visit Cezanne at Aix. Death of Cezanne and Carriere. Exhibitions: Feb.-March Durand-Ruel, Redon, Manet, Monet; March-April Independants; April outwards Societe Nationale; May outwards Salon des Artistes Francais; Oct.-Nov. Salon d’Automne . 1907 Exhibitions: March-April Independants; April Durand-Ruel,, Moret; April-June Societe Nationale; May outwards Salon des Artistes Francais; Oct.-Nov. Salon d’Automne. 1908 Exhibitions: March-May Independants; April-June Societe Nationale; Oct.-Nov. Salon d’Automne.





EXHIBITIONS	1883 Oct., Les XXfounded in Brussels by O. Maus and 20 Belgian artists. 1884 Brussels, Feb.-March 1st Les XX, inc.: (members) Ensor, Finch, Knopff, Rysselberghe; (invitees): Chase, Gervex, Heymans, J.Israela, Maris, Mauve. 1885 Brussels, Feb.-March 2nd Les XX, inc.: (members) Ensor, Finch, Knopff, Rysselberghe, Toorop, Vogels; (invitees): Cazin, Fantin-Latour, Mellery, Mesdag, Raffaëlli, Uhde. 1886 Brussels, Feb.-March 3rd Les XX, inc.: (members) Ensor, Finch, Knopff, Rysselberghe, Vogels; (invitees) Besnard, Breither, Degas (but refused to send), Monet, Monticelli, Redon, Renoir, Whistler, Zandomeneghi. 1887 March-May, Idependants, inc.: Angrand, Cross, Dubois-Pillet, Luce, Maurin, L. Pissarro, Redon, Henry Rousseau,Seurat,Signac. Brussels, Feb.-March 4th Les XX, inc.: (members) Ensor, Finch, Knopff, Rysselberghe, Toorop, Vogels;(invitees) Cazin, C.Pissarro, Raffaëlli, Rodin,Seurat, Sickert. 1888 March-May, Idependants, inc.: Angrand, Anquetin, Cross, Dubois-Pillet, Van Gogh, Luce, Maurin, L. Pissarro, Rousseau, Seurat,Signac. Brussels, Feb.-March 5th Les XX, inc.: (members) Ensor, Finch, Knopff, Rysselberghe, Toorop, Vogels;(invitees) : Anquetin, Blanche, Burne-jones (but refused to send), Degas (but refused to send), Dubois-Pillet, Forain, Guillaumin, Helleu, Mellery,Signac, Whistler. 1889 May onwards Societe Nationale, inc.: Aman-Jean, Beraud, Besnard,Carriere, Cazin, Dagnan-Bouveret, Fantin-Latour, Guillou, La Touche, Maignan, Martin, Maurin, Puvis de Chavannes, Raffaëlli, Roll, Tissot. Sept.-Oct. Idependants, inc.: Anquetin, Dubois-Pillet, Filiger, Van Gogh, Hayet, Luce, O'Conor, L. Pissarro, Rousseau,Seurat,Signac,Toulouse-Lautrec. Brussels, Feb.-March 6th Les XX, inc.: (members) Ensor, Finch, Knopff, Lemmen, Rodin, Rysselberghe, Toorop, Van de Velde; (invitees) : Besnard, Cross,Gauguin, Klinger, Luce, Monet, C.Pissarro,Signac, Steer, W.Stott. 1890 March-April, Idependants, inc.: Angrand, Anquetin, Boch Anna, Cross, Dubois-Pillet, Filiger, Finch, Van Gogh, Guillaumin, Luce, O'Conor, L. Pissarro, Rousseau, Rysselberghe,Seurat,Signac,Toulouse-Lautrec, Van de Velde. Brussels, Feb.-March 7th Les XX, inc.: (members) Ensor, Finch, Knopff, Rodin, Rysselberghe, Toorop, Van de Velde, Vogels; (invitees) : Cezanne, Dubois-Pillet, Van Gogh, Hayet, Mellery, L. Pissarro, Redon, Renoir, Segantini, Signac, Sisley,Toulouse-Lautrec. 1891 May onwards Societe Nationale, inc.: Beraud, Besnard, Blanche, Boldini, Carriere, Cazin, Claus, Cottet, Cross, Dagnan-Bouveret, Harrison, Hodler, La Touche, Liebermann, Puvis de Chavannes, Raffaëlli, Roll, Sargent, Whistler. Dec. Le Barc de Boutteville, 1st. Exposition des Peintres Impressionistes et Symbolistes, inc.: Anquetin, Bernard, Bonnard, Cross, Denis, Filiger,Gauguin, Van Gogh, Luce, Manet, Ranson, Roussel, Serusier,Signac,Toulouse-Lautrec, Vuillard. Brussels, Feb.-March 8th Les XX, inc.: (members) Ensor, Finch, Knopff, Rodin, Rysselberghe, Toorop, Van de Velde; (invitees) :Angrand, Chéret, Grane, Filiger,Gauguin, Van Gogh, Guillaumin, C.Pissarro,Seurat, Steer, Verster. 1892 March-April, Idependants, inc.: Angrand, Anquetin, Bernard, Bonnard, Boch Anna, Cross, Denis, Luce, Moret, O'Conor, L. Pissarro, Ranson, Rousseau, Rysselberghe,Seurat(retrospective),Signac, Toorop,Toulouse-Lautrec. May onwards Societe Nationale, inc.: Aman-Jean, Beraud, Besnard, Blanche, Boldini, Carriere, Cazin, Claus, Conder, Cottet, Cross, Dagnan-Bouveret, Guthrie, Harrison, Helleu, Hodler, La Touche, Lhermitte, Liebermann, Puvis de Chavannes, Raffaëlli, Whistler. May, Le Barc de Boutteville, 2nd. Exposition des Peintres Impressionistes et Symbolistes, inc.: Bernard, Bonnard, Cross, Denis, Luce, C.Pissarro, Serusier,Signac,Toulouse-Lautrec. Nov. Le Barc de Boutteville, 3nd. Exposition des Peintres Impressionistes et Symbolistes, inc.: Cross, Denis,Gauguin, C.Pissarro, Roussel, Serusier,Toulouse-Lautrec. Brussels, Feb.-March 9th Les XX, inc.:(members) Ensor, Finch, Knopff, Rodin, Rysselberghe, Signac, Toorop, Van de Velde, Vogels; (invitees) : Besnard,Cassatt, Denis, Horne, Image, Luce, Mellery, L.Pissarro,Seurat,Toulouse-Lautrec. 1893 March-April, Idependants, inc.: Amiet, Angrand, Anquetin, Bonnard, Cross, Denis, Luce, Moret, O'Conor, L. Pissarro, Ranson, Rousseau, Rysselberghe,Signac, Steinlen,Toulouse-Lautrec, Vallotton, Valtat. May onwards Societe Nationale, inc.: Aman-Jean, Blanche, Carriere, Claus, Conder, Cottet, Cross, Dagnan-Bouveret, Guthrie, Harrison, Helleu, Hodler, La Touche, Lavery, Liebermann, Puvis de Chavannes, Raffaëlli, Roll, Rothenstein, Simon, Tissot. May (?) Le Barc de Boutteville, 4th. Exposition des Peintres Impressionistes et Symbolistes, inc.: Angrand, Anquetin, Bonnard, Cottet, Denis, Filiger, Guillaumin, C.Pissarro, Roussel, Serusier,Signac, Toorop,Toulouse-Lautrec, Vallotton, Vuillard. Dec. Le Barc de Boutteville, 5th. Exposition des Peintres Impressionistes et Symbolistes, inc.: Angrand, Anquetin, Bonnard, Chéret, Conder, Cottet, Denis,Gauguin, Guillaumin, Lacombe, Luce, Moret, Ranson, Roussel, Serusier,Toulouse-Lautrec, Vuillard. Brussels, Feb.-March 10th Les XX, inc.: (members) Ensor, Finch, Knopff, Rodin, Rysselberghe,Signac, Toorop, Van de Velde; (invitees) : Bernard, Besnard, Cross, Madox Brown, Steer, Thorn Prikker,Toulouse-Lautrec. 1894 March Le Barc de Boutteville, 6th. Exposition des Peintres Impressionistes et Symbolistes, inc.: Anquetin, Bonnard, Conder, Cottet, Denis, Filiger,Gauguin, Guillaumin, Hayet, Lacombe, O'Conor, Ranson, Seguin, Serusier, Vuillard. April-May, Idependants, inc.: Amiet, Angrand, Cross, Denis, Luce, Moret, L. Pissarro, Rousseau, Signac,Toulouse-Lautrec, Valtat. May onwards Societe Nationale, inc.: Aman-Jean, Beraud, Besnard, Blanche, Carriere, Cazin, Claus, Conder, Cottet, Dagnan-Bouveret, Dauchez, Guthrie, Harrison, Helleu, Hodler, La Touche, Lavery, Liebermann, Puvis de Chavannes,Roll, Sargent, Simon, Tissot, Whistler. July Le Barc de Boutteville, 7th. Exposition des Peintres Impressionistes et Symbolistes, inc.: Angrand, Anquetin, Bonnard, Chéret, Conder, Denis, Guillaumin, Hayet, Moret, O'Conor,Toulouse-Lautrec. Nov. Le Barc de Boutteville, 8th. Exposition des Peintres Impressionistes et Symbolistes, inc.: Angrand, Anquetin, Bonnard, Chéret, Cottet, Denis, Filiger, Forbes-Robertson, Guillaumin, Hayet, Lacombe, Maurin, Moret, O'Conor, Seguin, Serusier,Toulouse-Lautrec. 1895 April-May, Idependants, inc.: Angrand, Cross, Forbes-Robertson, Lacombe, Luce, Moret, Rousseau, Rysselberghe, Serusier,Signac,Toulouse-Lautrec. April-May, Le Barc de Boutteville, 9th. Exposition des Peintres Impressionistes et Symbolistes, inc.: Anquetin, Denis, Forbes-Robertson, Hayet, Moret, Ranson, Serusier. April onwards Societe Nationale, inc.: Aman-Jean, Besnard, Blanche, Carriere, Cazin, Claus, Cottet, Dauchez, Denis, Evenepoel, Guthrie, Harrison, Helleu, Hodler, La Touche, Lavery, Liebermann, Puvis de Chavannes,Roll, Simon, W. Stott. Sept. Le Barc de Boutteville, 10th. Exposition des Peintres Impressionistes et Symbolistes, inc.: Angrand, Anquetin, Forbes-Robertson, Hayet, Maillol, O'Conor, Seguin. 1896 March, Le Barc de Boutteville, 11th. Exposition des Peintres Impressionistes et Symbolistes, inc.: Denis, Lacombe, Maillol, Serusier. April-May, Idependants, inc.: Cross, Luce, Munch, Rousseau,Signac, Valtat. April onwards Societe Nationale, inc.: Aman-Jean, Beraud, Blanche, Boldini, Cazin, Claus, Cottet, Dagnan-Bouveret, Dauchez, Denis, Evenepoel, Guthrie, Harrison, La Touche, Lavery, Le Sidaner, Liebermann, Matisse, Puvis de Chavannes, Raffaëlli, Roll, Sargent, Simon, W. Stott. Summer, Le Barc de Boutteville, 12th. Exposition des Peintres Impressionistes et Symbolistes, inc.: Denis, Guillaumin, Roussel. Nov. Le Barc de Boutteville, 13th. Exposition des Peintres Impressionistes et Symbolistes, inc.: Roussel. 1897 April-May, Idependants, inc.: Cross, Luce, Munch, Rousseau,Signac,Toulouse-Lautrec, Valtat. April onwards Societe Nationale, inc.: Aman-Jean, Besnard, Blanche, Boldini, Carriere, Cazin, Claus, Cottet, Dagnan-Bouveret, Denis, Evenepoel, Guthrie, Harrison, Helleu, Hodler, La Touche, Lavery, Le Sidaner, Matisse, Raffaëlli, Roll, Simon, W. Stott, Whistler. June-July, Le Barc de Boutteville, 14th. Exposition des Peintres Impressionistes et Symbolistes. Dec. Le Barc de Boutteville, 15th. Exposition des Peintres Impressionistes et Symbolistes,inc.:Toulouse-Lautrec. 1898 April-June, Idependants, inc.: Cross, Luce, Rousseau,Signac. May onwards Societe Nationale, inc.: Aman-Jean, Anquetin, Besnard, Blanche, Carriere, Cazin, Claus, Conder, Cottet, Dagnan-Bouveret, Dauchez, Denis, Evenepoel, La Touche, Le Sidaner, Levy-Dhurmer, Puvis de Chavannes, Raffaëlli, Sargent, Simon. 1899 May onwards Societe Nationale, inc.: Beraud, Besnard, Blanche, Carriere, Cazin, Claus, Cottet, Dagnan-Bouveret, Dauchez, Denis, Evenepoel, Guthrie, La Touche, Le Sidaner, Matisse, Puvis de Chavannes, Raffaëlli, Roll, Simon, W. Stott. Oct.-Nov. Idependants, inc.: Cezanne, Cross, Luce,Signac. 1900 April-Oct. Exposition Universelle. Exposition centennale de i'art francais, 1800-1889,inc.: Bastien-Lepage, Beraud, Besnard, Boudin, Carriere, Cazin, Cezanne, Degas, Fantin-Latour,Gauguin, Guillaumin, Maignan, Manet, Maurin, Monet, Monticelli, Moreau, Morisot, C.Pissarro, Puvis de Chavannes, Raffaëlli, Renoir, Roll,Seurat, Sisley, Vallotton, Exposition decennale des Beaux-Arts, 1889-1900, inc.: Adler, Aman-Jean, Beraud, Besnard, Blanche, Carriere, Cazin, chabes, Cheret, Cottet, Dagnan-Bouveret, Dauchez, Guillou, La Touche, Le Sidaner, Levy-Dhurmer, Maignan, Martin, Raffaëlli, Roll, Simon.German sectioninc.: Klackreuth, Liebermann, Slevogt, Von Stuck.Austrian sectioninc.: Klimt, Kupka.Belgian sectioninc.: Claus, Ensor, Evenepoel, Khnopff, Vogels.Dutch sectioninc.:Toorop.American sectioninc.: Harrison, Sargent, Whistler. British sectioninc.: Clausen, Stanhope, La Thangue, Lavery, Melville, Osborne, Rothenstein,E. Stott.Italian sectioninc.: Boldini, Morbelli, Pellizza, Segantini.Swiss sectioninc.: Amiet, Hodler. Dec. Idependants, inc.: Luce, Puy, Schuffenecker,Signac. 1901 April-May, Idependants,inc.: Angrand, Boch Anna, Bonnard, Cezanne, Cross, Denis, Ensor, Lacombe, Luce, Matisse, Ranson, Rousseau, Roussel, Rysselberghe, Schuffenecker, Serusier, Sigmac, Vallotton, Valtat, Vuillard. April-June Societe Nationale,inc.: Aman-Jean, Anquetin, Beraud, Bernard, Blanche, Carriere, Cazin, Claus, Cottet, Dagnan-Bouveret, Dauchez, Denis, La Touche, Lavery, Le Sidaner, Raffaëlli, Simon 1902 March-May, Idependants, inc.: Bernard, Bonnard, Cezanne, Cross, Denis, Luce, Marquet, Matisse, Rousseau, Roussel, Rysselberghe,Signac,Toulouse-Lautrec(retrospective), Vallotton, Valtat, Vuillard. April-June Societe Nationale, inc.: Aman-Jean, Anquetin, Bernard, Besnard, Blanche, Carriere, Claus, Cottet, Dagnan-Bouveret, Dauchez, Harrison, Hodler, La Touche, Lavery, Le Sidaner, Raffaëlli, Roll, Sargent, Sickert, Simon, Whistler. 1903 March-May, Idependants, inc.: Angrand, Bonnard, Camoin, Cross, Denis, Dufy, Forain, Friesz, Luce, Marquet, Matisse, Munch, O'Conor, Ranson, Rousseau, Roussel, Rysselberghe, Schuffenecker, Sickert,Signac, Vallotton, Vuillard. April-June, Societe Nationale, inc.: Aman-Jean, Anquetin, Beraud, Bernard, Besnard, Blanche, Boldini, Bonnard, Claus, Cottet, Dagnan-Bouveret, Dauchez, Denis, Harrison, La Touche, Le Sidaner, Maillol, Raffaëlli, Roll, Sargent, Sickert, Simon, Vallotton. Oct.-Dec. Salon d'Automne (1st exh.), inc.: Adler, Aman-Jean, Besnard, Blanche, Bonnard, Carriere,Gauguin, Guillaumin, Harrison, Marquet, Matisse, Moret, O'Conor, Rouault, Von Stuck, Vallotton, Vuillard. 1904 Feb.-March, Idependants, inc.: Bonnard, Camoin, Cross, Delaunay, Denis, Van Dongen, Dufy, Friesz, Luce, Marquet, Matisse, Munch, O'Conor, Ranson, Rousseau, Roussel, Rysselberghe, Schuffenecker, Serusier,Signac, Vallotton, Valtat, Vuillard. April-June, Societe Nationale, inc.: Aman-Jean, Bakst, Beraud, Bernard, Besnard, Blanche, Boldini, Carriere, Claus, Conder, Cottet, Dagnan-Bouveret, Dauchez, Denis, Harrison, La Touche, Lavery, Le Sidaner, Raffaëlli, Roll, Rouault, Sargent, Simon, Whistler. Oct.-Nov. Salon d'Automne,inc.: Adler, Bonnard, Camoin, Carriere, Cezanne, Delaunay, Denis, Guillaumin, Kandinsky, Lavery, Liebermann, Maillol, Marquet, Matisse, Moret, O'Conor, Puvis de Chavannes, Redon, Renoir, Rouault, Roussel,Toulouse-Lautrec, Vallotton, Valtat, Van Dongen, Vuillard, Zandomeneghi. 1905 March-April, Idependants, inc.: Angrand, Bernard, Bonnard, Camoin, Cross, Delaunay, Denis, Derain, Van Dongen, Dufy, Friesz, Van Gogh, Herrmann, Kollwitz, Lacombe, Luce, Marquet, Matisse, Munch, O'Conor, Rouault, Rousseau, Roussel, Rysselberghe, Serusier,Seurat, Sickert,Signac, Vallotton, Valtat, Vlaminck, Vuillard. April, Societe Nationale, inc.: Aman-Jean, Anquetin, Beraud, Besnard, Boldini, Carriere, Claus, Cottet, Dagnan-Bouveret, Dauchez, Denis, Guthrie, Harrison, Henry, La Touche, Lavery, Le Sidaner, Raffaëlli, Roll, Sargent, Simon. Oct.-Nov. Salon d'Automne, inc.: Bonnard, Camoin, Carriere, Cezanne, Derain, Van Dongen, Duchamp-Villon, Friesz, Guillaumin, Ingres, Jawlensky, Kandinsky, Lavery, Maillol, Manet, Marquet, Matisse, Moret, O'Conor, Picabia, l.Pissarro, Raffaëlli, Redon, Renoir, Rouault, Rousseau, Roussel, Sickert, Vallotton, Valtat, Vlaminck, Vuillard. 1906 March-April, Idependants, inc.: Angrand, Bernard, Bonnard, Braque, Camoin, Cross, Delaunay, Denis, Derain, Van Dongen, Dufy, Friesz, Herrmann, Lacombe, Leger, Luce, Marquet, Matisse, Munch, O'Conor, Ranson, Rouault, Rousseau, Roussel, Rysselberghe, Schuffenecker, Serusier, Vallotton, Valtat, Vlaminck, Vuillard. April onwards, Societe Nationale, inc.: Aman-Jean, Beraud,Bernard, Besnard, Blanche, Boldini, Carriere, Claus, Cottet, Dagnan-Bouveret, Dauchez, Denis, Harrison, La Touche, Lavery, Le Sidaner, Roll, Simon. Oct.-Nov. Salon d'Automne, inc.: Bonnard, Brancusi, Camoin, Carriere, Cezanne, Delaunay, Derain, Van Dongen, Dufy, Friesz,Gauguin, Guillaumin, Kandinsky, Kupka, Lavery, Marquet, Matisse, Moret, O'Conor, Redon, Renoir, Rossi, Rouault, Rousseau, Roussel, Sickert, Vallotton, Valtat, Vlaminck, Vuillard; plus exh. of Russian art, organized by Diaghilev. 1907 March-April, Idependants, inc.: Amiet, Angrand, Braque, Camoin, Cross, Delaunay, Derain, Dufy, Gilman, Gore, Herrmann, Kandinsky, Luce, Matisse, O'Conor, Ranson, Rousseau, Roussel, Schuffenecker, Serusier,Signac, Vallotton, Vuillard. April-June, Societe Nationale, inc.: Aman-Jean, Anquetin, Beraud, Besnard, Blanche, Claus, Dagnan-Bouveret, Dauchez, Denis, Harrison, La Touche, Lavery, Le Sidaner, Raffaëlli, Roll, Simon. Oct.-Nov. Salon d'Automne, inc.: Bakst, Bonnard, Braque, Camoin, Cezanne, Delaunay, Derain, Dufy, Fergusson, Friesz, Guillaumin, Kandinsky, Kupka, Lavery, Leger, Marquet, Matisse, Moret, Redon, Rouault, Rousseau, Sickert, Vallotton, Valtat, Vlaminck; plus belgian exh. inc.: Claus, ensor, Evenelopoel, Finch, Khnopff, Mellery, Rops, Rysselberghe. 1908 March-April, Idependants, inc.: Amiet, Angrand, Braque, Camoin, Cross, Derain, Finch, Gilman, Gore, Kandinsky, Luce, Munch, O'Conor, Rousseau, Roussel, Schuffenecker, Serusier, Sickert,Signac, Vallotton, Vlaminck. April-June, Societe Nationale, inc.: Aman-Jean, Anquetin, Beraud, Bernard, Blanche, Claus, Cottet, Dauchez, Denis, Fergusson, Harrison, La Touche, Lavery, Le Sidaner, Raffaëlli, Roll, Simon. Oct.-Nov. Salon d'Automne, inc.: Bakst, Bonnard, Camoin, Denis, Derain, Van Dongen, Duchamp, Fergusson, Friesz, El Greco,Kandinsky, Lavery, Leger, Marquet, Matisse, Monticelli, Moret, O'Conor, Ranson, Rouault, Sickert, Vallotton, Valtat, Vuillard, Vlaminck. Later Exhibitions 29 September 2013 - 6 January 2014Peggy Guggenheim Collection,THE AVANT-GARDES OF FIN-DE-SIéCLE PARIS: SIGNAC, BONNARD, REDON, AND THEIR CONTEMPORARIES 16 September 2016 - 8 January 2017Albertina, Vienna,Seurat, Signac, Van Gogh. Ways of Pointilism. 11 August 2017– 11 March 2018Kunstmuseum Bern,VAN GOGH TO C3ò4ZANNE, BONNARD TO MATISSE THE COLLECTION HAHNLOSER





ARTISTS	Bonnard, Pierre Pierre Bonnard, a former law student who "dropped out," epitomized the Parisian spirit while remaining deeply connected to his roots. His fondness for his background was often expressed through a discerning and somewhat mischievous lens. Rather than being captivated by quaint interiors, Bonnard was drawn to domestic scenes and, even more so, to street life and the vibrant tapestry of Parisian existence. Among the Nabis, Bonnard was considered one of the most influenced by Japanese art, particularly in terms of aesthetics and composition. His palette reflects the Nabis' distinct style, characterized by an ascetic yet harmonious balance of dark greys and deep maroons. Much of his work during the Nabist period comprises sketches, posters, and lithographs, all marked by minimal outlines that capture his lively spontaneity and whimsicality. From 1898 to 1912, Bonnard's artistic journey led him to appreciate artists like Degas and the principles of Impressionism. During this era, he created a series of nudes, landscapes, and still-life studies, though he did not confine himself to a strict realism or a mere analysis of life's quality. Aware of the limitations of such techniques, Bonnard transitioned from 1912 to 1921, shifting his focus toward form and dedicating more time to drawing. This period saw his supple outlines impart a sense of fluidity to his compositions, contrasting with more static forms. Bonnard stands out as the only Nabi capable of continual evolution throughout his career. While he occasionally revisited the works of his predecessors, he was not merely seeking to replicate their styles; instead, he sought an echo that would resonate with his own artistic struggles and serve as a catalyst to transcend them. This process of reflection and innovation allowed him to develop a unique and personal artistic language distinguished by its sensitivity to color, form, and the fleeting moments of everyday life. Gauguin, Paul Paul Gauguin, born to a French father and a Creole mother, began his artistic journey in the early 1870s while working as a stockbroker. By 1883, he made the pivotal decision to pursue painting full-time. Though he befriended notable artists like Camille Pissarro and participated in the final four Impressionist exhibitions, Gauguin's work did not achieve financial success. This lack of recognition led him to leave his family in 1886 and relocate to Pont-Aven in Brittany, where he formed a community of like-minded artists known as the “Pont-Aven School.” In 1888, Gauguin shared a studio with Vincent van Gogh, but their relationship quickly soured, culminating in a dramatic and violent fallout. Seeking further escape, Gauguin moved to Tahiti in 1891, where he sought to connect with nature in a profound way—a sentiment vividly manifesting in his later works. These works were deeply influenced by the art and cultures of primitive peoples, reflecting Gauguin's aspiration to transcend the artistic conventions of his time. Gauguin's departure to Tahiti signified more than a geographical shift; it represented a departure from the evolving artistic theories of the late 19th century, particularly the increasingly scientific approaches of the Impressionists and the pointillists. Since his early exhibitions with the Impressionists, Gauguin had methodically reevaluated his understanding of light, color, and form. He turned decisively towards a "primitive" aesthetic, which involved discarding traditional concepts like perspective and sculptural modeling, opting instead for bold colors and flattened forms. On Tahiti, where colonial rule had largely decimated the indigenous culture, Gauguin found a landscape that allowed him to explore his vision of a lost harmony between humanity and nature. Many of his South Pacific paintings reflect this longing, drawing from what he perceived as the simplicity and authenticity of the pre-colonial life he romanticized. To convey his vision of a primitive existence, Gauguin employed distinctive artistic techniques: he arranged figures with minimal overlapping, utilized a juxtaposition of frontal and profile views, and depicted the immobile faces and expressive hands of Tahitian women in ways reminiscent of Egyptian and Javanese art. By overlaying the forms of what he interpreted as a "mysterious" culture onto the mundane reality of the island, Gauguin was able to articulate his exotic and idealized vision of existence. This approach allowed him to construct a simulated world brimming with mystery and wonder, both for his viewers and himself, thus fulfilling his artistic and philosophical quest to bridge the gap between the primitive and the modern. In doing so, Gauguin not only charted a new direction in his own work but also challenged the boundaries of Western art, seeking a deeper connection to human experience and nature. Laval, Charles French painter born in Paris, died in Cairo. He was Gauguin’s companion on his voyage to Panama and Martinique in 1888. He belonged to the Le Pouldu group and to the first generation of Symbolist painters (Gauguin, Bernard, Anquetin). Two of his works, "Landscape" and "Portrait of the Artist" (1889), hang in the Musée d’Art Moderne in Paris. Sérusier, Paul Sérusier had acted as the interpreter for Gauguin. It is therefore logical to suppose that, of all the Nabis, Sérusier’s work should be the most indebted to the master of Pont-Aven. He conscientiously applied himself to Cloisonnism, working with smooth layers of paint. He was even captivated, like Gauguin, by Brittany, the source of his favorite themes. He treated landscapes (The Sea at Le Pouldu), scenes from folklore (The Pardon), and imaginary scenes borrowed from literary Symbolism. Yet in temperament, Sérusier was completely different from Gauguin, lacking his robustness or powerful gift for synthesis. Instead, he showed a certain slackness of line and a disregard for the vigorous effects of foreshortening. As a colorist, too, Sérusier was less bold, although he had both taste and originality. He was a true Nabi in that he always attenuated, if not nearly extinguished, his effects. What fundamentally distinguishes him from Gauguin is his personal outlook on the world. Both were attracted to the archaic and primitive, but in Gauguin’s case, archaism was a dimension immediately transmitted to him by the landscape he was handling: his painting somehow served as a means of penetrating the powerful truth he discovered in a landscape. In Sérusier’s case, however, archaism was more a lingering scent of "once upon a time," which he enjoyed imagining and transferring onto canvas. His painting recalls the melancholy atmosphere of eternally sunken legends.





GALLERY

	Paul Gauguin, Vision after the Sermon, 1888, National Galleries of Scotland


	Charles Laval, Going to Market, Brittany, 1888, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indiana


	Emile Bernard, Breton Women in the Meadow, August 1888, Private collection


	Paul Sérusier, The Talisman (with the forest landscape of love in Pont-Aven), 1888, Musée d'Orsay





BIBLIOGRAPHY	Art: Architecture, Painting, Sculpture, Graphics, Techniques, Bath, 2011. Essential History of Art, Bath , 2001. Jalard, Michel-Claude: Post-Impressionism, Paris, 1966. Shone, Richard: The Post-Impressionism, London, 1979.





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