Foreign Brushes, Portraits of Breton Women Around Bernard and Gauguin
In Pont-Aven, artists painted Breton women over and over again. In these portraits, they assert a strong cultural identity, at the heart of the painters' imagination.
A #RevealedCollection Selection
In this selection, the museum's ambition is to retrace the history of the Pont-Aven art colony from the second half of the 19th century and to highlight the famous epic of Paul Gauguin and Émile Bernard.
But the aim is also to broaden this great pictorial adventure to the artists who received, directly or indirectly, the teachings of the master of Pont-Aven, notably the foreign artists.
The Fig Woman (1894/1894) by Paul GauguinMuseum of Pont-Aven
Gauguin and Bernard: Central figures of Pont-Aven
During the summer of 1886, Paul Gauguin visited Pont-Aven. Charmed by this town, he appreciated the simplicity of the Breton peasants and the rural settings that he depicted in his works.
Breton women making hay (1889/1889) by Emile BernardMuseum of Pont-Aven
Émile Bernard discovered Pont-Aven for the first time in 1886. Despite his various stays, it was only in August 1888 that he met Gauguin there. Together, they created foundational works of the Synthetist pictorial movement.
A study of Breton peasant women (1890/1890) by Jens Ferdinand WillumsenMuseum of Pont-Aven
A Colony of foreign artists
It was Synthetism that captivated foreign artists such as the Irishman O’Conor, the Dutchman Verkade, the Englishmen Bevan and Forbes-Robertson, the Swiss Amiet, and the Dane Willumsen. This upheaval was such that they radically changed their way of painting.
Consider Cuno Amiet, who wrote in 1892:
"My decisive experience was Gauguin and a few paintings by Van Gogh."
Breton women hanging out the washing (1889/1889) by Emile BernardMuseum of Pont-Aven
The peasant world: A source of inspiration
The lifestyle of the Breton peasants sparked their enthusiasm. Sketches taken from life are numerous, revealing a spontaneous gesture but also the desire to build a repertoire of forms to draw from as inspiration struck.
Portraits of women
Adult men are rare in these depictions, undoubtedly because they were less inclined to let themselves be portrayed. Festive costumes captivated the painters of this generation less than the modest and rough peasant world.
Young Breton woman (Around 1891) by Robert BevanMuseum of Pont-Aven
A repertoire of forms
But far from any social preoccupation, the Pont-Aven group endowed their drawings with a symbolic dimension and strove to retain only the quintessence of forms by multiplying sketches of Breton women in various attitudes.
For example, in many of these portraits, the women are depicted half-length, with their faces in profile. Their gaze is directed downward, accentuating their concentration on their work.
Bretonneries, title page (1889/1889) by Emile BernardMuseum of Pont-Aven
Women at work
Their manual labor, such as sewing, laundry, and cooking, is also highlighted in these works.
Roderic O'Conor, The Seamstress
This drawing shows a seated woman, seen in three-quarter view and leaning forward. She wears a Breton headdress; she seems absorbed in an intimate moment. The supple and sketched lines, enriched by light shading, give the whole a sense of lightness and spontaneity.
Robert Bevan, Woman of Moëlan Cutting Bread
Trained at the Académie Julian in Paris in 1890, Robert Bevan befriended Forbes-Robertson. Together, they discovered Pont-Aven and stayed at the Hôtel des Voyageurs. This woman in profile cutting bread wears the headdress of Moëlan-sur-Mer, where the artist lived in 1894.
Breton women at the barrier (1889/1889) by Paul GauguinMuseum of Pont-Aven
A synthetist aesthetic
Most of these graphic works reveal one of the characteristics of Synthetism: the simplification of forms.
Cuno Amiet, Breton Woman with a Flat Basket
In Brittany, Amiet captured everyday scenes, like this young woman in traditional costume carrying a basket. With a few dynamic strokes, he captures movement and expression. The two unidentified portraits of Breton women reveal his talent for making each face unique.
Émile Bernard, Profile of a Breton Woman
Bernard used a supple and confident line to capture the essence of this Breton woman. Without superfluous details, he built a repertoire of forms for his paintings. This drawing also reflects the modernity of the Pont-Aven school, between synthesis and the quest for the "primitive" dear to Gauguin.
Cuno Amiet, Breton Woman with a Dish Towel
This sketch taken from life pays particular attention to a Breton woman wearing a headdress in her daily gestures. This woman holding a dish towel is undoubtedly one of the preparatory drawings for the Breton Washerwomen (Lavandières bretonnes) of 1893.
Study of kneeling Breton woman (Non daté) by Émile BernardMuseum of Pont-Aven
Émile Bernard, Study of a Kneeling Breton Woman
Far from the social concerns of Pissarro, the Pont-Aven artists favored a symbolic and refined approach. This sketch illustrates this search for the essential. Through its curved lines, the artist suggests movement and moves away from Cloisonnism.
Recent acquisitions
This virtual presentation reveals recent acquisitions that have never been exhibited before. We thank the Friends of the Museum for their constant support in enriching our collections.
Sophie Kervran, Director and Chief Curator of Museums.
Camille Armandary, Head of Exhibitions / Communication / Documentary and Digital Resources.
Noémie Désiré Dit Gosset, Master 2 Intern in Heritage Professions at the University of Caen.
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