The Artist in the Mirror
In Pont-Aven, artists painted one another. In these portraits, the studio becomes a place of connection and shared perspectives, where the image of an artist is gradually built
A #RevealedCollection Selection
The Gauguin Cabinet is dedicated to promoting the museum's collections through focus exhibitions. Each year, three successive hangings present paintings, drawings, and prints to highlight a donation, a theme, or an artist.
Portrait of Émile Bernard (1927/1927) by Victor Joseph Roux-ChampionMuseum of Pont-Aven
The Pont-Aven Museum's portrait collection remains limited and can only offer an overview of this theme. However, a few guiding threads emerge which, beyond mere resemblance, question the construction of the artist's image and the portrait tradition.
The painter Henry Moret in front of his easel (1893/1893) by Jules Le RayMuseum of Pont-Aven
The artist in their studio: Attributes of creation
The studio constitutes one of the favored settings for an artist's portrait. An easel, a palette, brushes, or painter's attire allow the model to be immediately identified and participate in building the social image of the artist.
A. Österlind, Portrait of Maufra
This portrait shows Maufra from behind, painting, turning away from his engraving titled "The Wave" ("La Vague"). Recognizable by his glasses and mustache, he appears absorbed in his work, a palette in hand.
A. Le Beau, Self-Portrait with a Pipe
Alcide Le Beau, influenced by the masters of Pont-Aven, settled in Paris around 1890 while returning regularly to Brittany. In this self-portrait, he depicts himself painting, pipe in mouth, staring at the viewer in a game of inverted gazes.
Appearance of the artist, 1912 (1912/1912) by Paul-Émile ColinMuseum of Pont-Aven
Representing oneself: The self-portrait as a mirror
The self-portrait is a distinct exercise in the representation of artists. It makes it possible to assert an identity, build a public image, but also explore introspection.
J. Vaillant, Self-Portrait
Jacques Vaillant regularly stayed in Brittany, notably in Brigneau, where he met up with Maurice Asselin and moved away from the Cubist and Fauvist movements. This self-portrait depicts him in his forties, in a sober and introspective image.
M. Asselin, Self-Portrait
Maurice Asselin settled in Paris in 1904 to fully dedicate himself to painting after training in Orléans and at the Cormon studio. Recognized by 1906 in the salons and the press, he regularly stayed in southern Finistère for forty years.
P. Colin, Aspect of the Artist 1912
Paul-Émile Colin was profoundly influenced by his meeting with Paul Gauguin, Paul Sérusier, and Meijer de Haan in Le Pouldu in 1890. In this self-portrait, he depicts himself from the front, with a direct gaze, using hatching work reminiscent of Synthetist flat color planes.
Portrait of Mary Piriou-Bazin (Around 1951) by Job GuévelMuseum of Pont-Aven
Portraits among artists: Friendships and creative brotherhoods
From the 19th century onwards, artists gathered by affinity. The portrait became a means of testifying to professional and friendly bonds. By portraying their peers, artists capture on paper or canvas the human relationships that nourish creation.
E. Bernard, Portrait of the Painter Eric Forbes-Robertson
Émile Bernard created a Synthetist portrait here, which he gifted to the British painter Eric Forbes-Robertson, known as "John the Celt." Two Breton women stand out in the background, outlined in black within a composition bearing Symbolist accents.
E. Delâtre, Maufra Sitting on a Rock
Eugène Delâtre created this engraving for the cover of the album "In Brittany" ("En Bretagne") by Maxime Maufra, who frequented his studio. The composition shows Maufra sitting facing the sea, amid a setting of waves, faithful to his favorite themes.
A. Marzin, Portrait of Louis-Désiré Lucas
Alfred Marzin settled in Nantes in 1936 to spend his retirement, where he regularly received his friend Louis Désiré-Lucas. In 1938, the latter gave him an illustrated book featuring a self-portrait similar to this one, which likely served as a reference.
M. Thersiquel, Portrait of Fernand Daucho
Michel Thersiquel, a humanist photographer, took a series of studio portraits of artists in Pont-Aven in the 1970s. Notably, he photographed Fernand Daucho, an artist born in Paris and shaped by his journey between Brittany and other regions of France.
Portrait of Paul Sérusier by Marcel GuillardMuseum of Pont-Aven
Legacies and tributes: Inscribing oneself in a lineage
Certain portraits testify to the admiration held for masters or prominent figures in the art world. Through these images, artists claim influences, pay tribute to their predecessors, or assert their place in art history.
G. De Monfreid, Portrait of Gauguin
Paul Gauguin is depicted as a bust, in a meditative posture, his head resting on his hand. The other hand holds a cigarette which enhances the intimacy of the scene, while nervous hatchings model the shadows.
F. Cazals, Poster of the 7th exhibition of the Salon des 100
On this poster, Paul Verlaine observes a drawing by Cazals while Jean Moréas examines the exhibited works. Through monocles, glasses, and attentive gazes, the composition celebrates the art of looking and the importance of observation in the visual arts.
O. Redon, Profile Portrait of Paul Sérusier
Odilon Redon met the Nabis group in 1899 thanks to Maurice Denis and painted several profile portraits of artists. Here he depicts his friend Paul Sérusier, with whom he shared an admiration for Gauguin.
The Painter Delâtre (1927/1927) by Pierre CavellatMuseum of Pont-Aven
Ironic gazes: caricatures and exaggerated portraits
Caricatures and exaggerated portraits exaggerate certain physical or psychological traits with humor, affection, or sometimes bite. These works offer a freer look at personalities in the artistic world and reveal the complicity that often unites the author and their model.
A. Seguin, Caricature of Forbes-Robertson with a bottle
Armand Seguin and Eric Forbes-Robertson maintained an ongoing relationship, documented by their correspondence and several caricature portraits. In a letter dated December 26, 1891, Seguin mentions his intense practice of etching, testifying to their artistic complicity.
A. Seguin, Portrait of Forbes-Robertson in a plaid jacket
It was probably through Seguin that Forbes-Robertson met Émile Bernard in 1892.
P. Cavellat, The Painter Delâtre
Eugène Delâtre, a renowned Montmartre printer, collaborated with many artists such as Gauguin or Henri Rivière. The artist depicts Delâtre smoking, with a tired face and a neglected appearance, in contrast to the elegance of his self-portraits.
Portrait of Charles Fromuth (1929/1929) by Hans HenningsenMuseum of Pont-Aven
Rarely exhibited works
This virtual presentation reveals recent acquisitions that have never been exhibited. 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
Interested in Natural history?
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