Souvenir de Bretagne

early 1890s

Ideologist of the Nabis and a central figure of the early 1890s

He leads a whole movement, and many discoveries of Gauguin, who has left for Oceania, are attributed to him; the Nabis group (its name from the Hebrew word for “prophet”) proclaims a program of painterly Symbolism: emotions and symbols can be conveyed through the relationships of forms. The critic Albert Aurier calls him the first among the young artists in his article “The Symbolists” and promises him a great future.

1895

Travels in Italy and Germany with Maurice Denis

Travelling through Italy and Germany with Maurice Denis, he is among the first European artists to discover the special beauty of the Italian and German primitives, finding in them expressive power and originality of decorative solutions.

1895

“Pastorale Bretonne” in The Evergreen

His friendship with Mackie leads him to contribute the illustration “Pastorale Bretonne” to “The Evergreen: A Northern Seasonal: The Book of Spring”, published by Patrick Geddes and colleagues in Edinburgh.