Orientalism and the French Artists of Les Nabis - Term Paper Example

Client’s Orientalism and the French Artists of Les Nabis Client Name of Professor Name of Class Date Orientalism and the French Artists of Les Nabis The Nabis, a term in Hebrew that translates into ‘prophet‘, were a group of artists in France during the 1890’s who, in a united criticism of the academy curriculum, believed that the traditional teaching was restraining the natural evolution of imagination. In an effort to find a way of expressing themselves on a deeper spiritual plane, they sought to free painting from the structure of the academic environment and set free the oppressed strokes that were confined by traditionalism in order to create artwork that captured the transcendent characteristic of life. Each stroke, line and curve had expressive potential, and the painted image had independent existence as they sought to imbue the artwork with a deeper meaning beyond the fleeting moment one might normally observe on a canvas. As these young artists would explore new ideas about the artist and that artist’s expression, they found an elegance and refinement in the Japanese art that was becoming available to view. The work impressed the Nabis because they themselves were in search of a simplicity of expression, as well as an authenticity. The influence of Japanese art was beginning to impact the artists of the nineteenth century as trade was finally open between western merchants and the Japanese world. 2 Client’s Last Name When Napoleon invaded Egypt in 1798 and the Near East was subsequently colonized, a defining moment in the history of oriental art was established. The Middle East, which was until now nearly unreachable, could be accessed by people from the West. The Western artists were fascinated by the richness and diversity of the “orient’s” art and this influence showed in the evolving work being done in the era. As Lene S. Fort states in her essay, Femme Fatale or Caring Mother? The Orientalist Woman’s “artists never create in a vacuum, bringing to their interpretations the opinions and biases of their cultural environment as well as their own life experiences. Whether the Orientalist painter personally visited the East or not, he was depicting a land he experienced as an outsider.”(1) As the fascination with the ’Japonesme’, (the French term for the influence of the Japanese art in nineteenth century Western society), grew in France, the Nabis would find the simplicity of the form and line a great influence as they endeavored to create work that could express the emotional content that they were trying to achieve. Though the Nabis as a unified group appreciated the Japanese art, some members were known to be more drawn towards the possibilities it presented. Paul Gauguin, who held a mentor like status for the Nabis, incorporated several elements of Japanese art in his paintings. His admiration for the ukiyo-e prints is distinctly visible in his work. He observed the lack of shadows and light in Japanese prints and consciously eliminated these features from his own paintings. He extensively used bold colors, which have more 1. Lene S. Fort. Femme Fatale or Caring Mother? The Orientalist Woman’s Struggle for Dignity. Picturing the Middle East. ed. Henry Krawitz. New York: Dahesh Museum, 1990, 40. 3 Client’s Last Name expressive potential and the “flatness”, which is typical in Japanese prints is created by Gauguin in his work as he explored this aspect of the prints that were available to him to study. One of his paintings, The Yellow Christ (figure 1)has typical Japanese attributes in the use of pure color and heavy black outlines. Figure 1. The Yellow Christ, Paul Gauguin (1889) (2) The Nabis were a faction of the Post-Impressionists who sought to extend artistic freedoms that were moving closer to abstractionism. The group originated when a couple of rebellious friends studying at the private art school of Rodolphe Julian known as the Académie Julian, united to form the Nabis. The ideas that art was a personal expression, rather than a visual representation was the basis of their work and discoveries. The Nabis, a young group of artists that were heavily influenced by the artists of that era and by the concepts that were being revealed by the works of the Japanese, were leading the artistic world to concepts that would break down preconceived ideas about form, color, and expression. 2. Figure 1 - The Yellow Christ (Le Christ, Jaune), Paul Gauguin (1889) Oil on Canvas (Source, ) 4 Client’s Last Name The Nabis are often given credit for returning decorative arts to the nineteenth century. The work they did was often an attempt to combine aspects of art and craft as an elevated concept. While craft was often given a negative aspect as a lower form of expression, the Nabis did not feel this was true and endeavored to show a support for the decorative arts with an infusion of fine art aesthetics. As they wrote about art theoretically, the emphasis was on the connection between art and design. Much of their work was in association with designers, publishers, and dealers on decorative projects ranging from set designs, wallpaper, textiles, ceramics, and stained glass. Edward Vuillard had a strong belief that there should be no distinction between fine art and decorative art. He held that decorative arts can allow artists to enter the private and “interior” lives of people. As he practiced his beliefs about the connection between design and artistic expression, he was engaged to design the sets for two great plays by Ibsen, The Master Builder and Enemy of the People, that were produced in Paris. Another project, The Public Gardens is one of Vuillard’s most appreciated decorative projects (3). Interior scenes and the use of textiles in his paintings further exhibit the marriage of art and decorative design by Vuillard. Among the founding members of the Nabis were Paul Sérusier, Maurice Denis, Pierre Bonnard, Paul Ranson and Henri-Gabriel Ibels. The mystery in which they surrounded their group created a mystique that allowed innovation. In their attempts to be secretive, they created methods of communication and rites of participation. Their 3. Gloria Groom. Edouard Vuillard, Painter–Decorator. New Haven: Yale University, 1999, 44. 5 Client’s Last Name formation was seen by the members of the group as a sort of ‘secret society’ that used nicknames and codes in order to rebel against an established art world. Their youth and exuberance was evident in the way they conducted themselves and was the method that allowed them to break new barriers in the art world. The Nabis were soon joined by many artists, both of French descent and, as well, from other nationalities. These artists included Ker-Xavier Roussel and Edouard Vuillard, with foreign artists like Dutch born Jan Verkade, Danish born Mogens Ballin, Swiss born Félix Vallotton and Hungarian born József Rippl-Róna. Although much of the work of the Nabis was graphic art, the artistic mediums were not limited to graphic work. Sculptors Georges Lacombe and Aristide Maillol, and writers and musicians like Charles Morice and Pierre Hermant were also associated with the Nabis. Paul Sérusier’s work is considered one of the first forays into the art of abstraction. His painting, The Talisman, (figure 2)which was created under the close supervision of Paul Gauguin, is considered to be a masterpiece by many experts. He painted The Talisman in 1888, while he was visiting Pont-Aven. It was here that he first met Gauguin and received art lessons from him. It was Gauguin who inspired him to use strong colors and bold contours. Besides these concepts, Gauguin also inspired him to expand his artistic and imaginative horizons, and to free himself from the constraints of imitative paintings. The Talisman is a strong example of cloisonnism, a bold form of post-impressionism that consists of strong colors and dark contours. The concept of cloisonnism is defined by its similarity to cloisonné jewelry work. This jewelry typically 6 Client’s Last Name uses wire outlines with powdered colored glass melted between the wires to form a pictorial element. The Talisman, which was a beginning voice in abstractionism, was the initial inspiration that would ultimately lead to the formation of the Nabis. Maurice Denis, another founder member of the Nabis, was also a key artist of the post impressionist era. He was one of the first artists to introduce the concept of flatness in paintings. He said “Remember that a picture, before being a battle horse, a nude, an anecdote or whatnot, is essentially a flat surface covered with colors assembled in a certain order”, which laid the foundation for his art. Though the subjects of his paintings varied immensely, he primarily focuses on religious subjects. Even at the tender age of fifteen, he wrote “Yes, its necessary that I am a Christian painter, that I celebrate all the miracles of Christianity, I feel its necessary” (4), which was a clear indication of his religious proclivities. Figure 2 The Talisman, Paul Sérusier Figure 3 Springtime, Maurice Denis, (1894-99) (6) (1888)(5) 4. Agnès Delannoy. Symbolistes et Nabis : Maurice Denis et son temps. Paris : Somogy, 1996. 5. Figure 2 The Talisman, Paul Sérusier (1888)(Source, ) 6. Figure 3 Springtime, Maurice Denis, (1894-99)(Source, ) 7 Client’s Last Name Maurice Denis, renowned for his distinctive definition of a painting was also influenced by the Japanese art, but the influence was less pronounced because it was mixed with the influence of the traditional primitive Italian art. He was very influenced by Fra Angelico. His lines, however, have a sensibility towards the Japanese prints he would have the opportunity to view. His use of the features of Japanese prints maximizes the expressive potential of his paintings. The way in which movement can be seen in the clothing of his subjects is one method of emotional expression that can be seen in his work. The work Springtime (figure 3) shows this methodology in the drape of the fabric and the positioning of the figures. Pierre Bonnard, another member of the Nabis did innovative art that would be at the forefront Art Nouveau. His style of painting, the emphasis on linear dimensions, use of bright colors and distinctive brushstrokes were all characteristic of the Nabis as a group. Later in his career though, he shifted to more somber colors and also abandoned the linear nature of his work. His paintings became mimetic in nature and were mostly related to domestic life. Nevertheless, Bonnards entire stylistic evolution offers a transition from impressionism to abstract art. His work would be appreciated mostly after his death. However during his lifetime, his paintings were often dismissed as being too old fashioned and traditional. Pierre Bonnard, who is often considered the artist of the Nabis who was most influenced by the Japanese, drew on the prints for the simplicity of form and bold use of bright colors. The arabesque technique was employed in many of his paintings (including 8 Client’s Last Name Les femmes au jardin) to give life and volume to the subjects. Vuillard, as well used intricate patterns and geometric shapes to create a chaotic movement of arabesque. He was greatly influenced by the book of paintings by Kitayo Matayoshi, and used short, thick moving lines in order to create the subject matter of his work. Though western artists were impressed by the magnificence of the art of the East and often drew inspiration from their examples, they still considered themselves superior, and the “orient” was often constructed as being primitive. This theory was presented in Edward Said’s book Orientalism, which in its publication in 1978, took a very radical stance on the issue and gave an all new definition to the idea of ‘orientalism‘. (7) A. L. Macfie, in the book Orientalism: A Reader contends that Said’s “main concern is to convey the message that the overall image of the Orient constructed by Cultural-Academic Orientalism, from the viewpoint of its own technical achievements and scientific contributions to the field, is shot through and through with racist assumptions, barely camouflaged mercenary interests, reductionist explanations and anti-human prejudices.”(8) The rift between the way in which the cultures of the orient were accepted and the way in which the Western European cultures defined themselves would influence the way in which the art presented from those cultures was perceived. In his rather controversial book, Said theorizes that the “Orient” is projected as the complete opposite of the “Occident” or the west. He contends the concept of ‘orient’ is based on a Western perception that has created a mystique and mythological taint on the 7. Edward W. Said. Orientalism. New York: Vintage Books, 1979. 8. A. L. Macfie. Orientalism: A Reader. New York: New York University Press, 2000, 218. 9 Client’s Last Name realities of the regions. As he discusses the idea of the ’orient’ as separate from the actual culture of the east he says, “the Orient is an idea that has a history and a tradition of thought, imagery, and vocabulary that have given it reality and presence in and for the west.” (9). He also alleges that the Orient has been equated with the “other”, a term that refers to a concept that the people of the East were not the same as the people of the West. This terminology defines the ideas that were an attempt to demean the power and cultural values of the Eastern world. Said defines Orientalism as “an academic one, and indeed the label still serves in a number of academic institutions”. He also goes on to say that “Orientalism is a style of thought based upon an ontological and epistemological distinction made between the Orient and the Occident‘….. Orientalism is a Western style for dominating, reconstructing and having authority over the Orient”(10) The view put forth by Said are constructed based on the colonization and political control of much of the East. By intruding on the culture, Said believes that the perspective from which influence is achieved has become tarnished with unwarranted insinuations of superiority from Western academicians. Though Said’s Orientalism never spoke about art directly, his doctrine has often been extended to the subjects of oriental art. It has also been used as a tool to explain the phenomenon created by the intrusion of colonialism. Many artists from the early nineteenth century, such as the work of Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, are examples of a prejudiced view of the East and depictions are a perception of the “other” as a culturally 9. Said, 5. 10. Said, 2. 10 Client’s Last Name inferior people, with a special interest in the women would be portrayed. In Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres work, he painted work that portrayed multiple women who were nude and said to be in a ‘harem’, a term associated with the traditions of polygynous marriage and the forbidden quarters of the wives and women of a man to have such an arrangement. In combination with male fantasies that suggest that whenever women congregate, they automatically take their clothes off together, this type of perspective on Eastern traditions is typical of the prejudices that would taint the influence that would be collected by Western artists. Figure 2 The Turkish Bath, Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, (1862) (11) The concept of Orientalism and the influence it had on Western art has often been extended to Japonisme. At this point though, it becomes important to make a clear distinction between the Orientalism that resulted due to the invasion of Islamic territories 11. Figure 4 - The Turkish Bath Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, (1862) (Source, ) 11 Client’s Last name and the Orientalism associated with the Japanese influence. In the former case, the artistic creation of Western artists clearly undermined the cultural values of the Islamic religion. The Middle East was projected as backward, primitive and despicable. This attitude of the artists can be felt in their treatment of female subjects. As male artists had no access to the personal lives of Muslim women, they often used their own imagination to create a perverse image which was detached from reality. This led to a distorted view of Oriental women, a view that was a conceptualized version of women as objects of lust and desire. (12). As well, this notion of superiority was often used to justify their colonization of these colonies. As Donald Rosenthal mentions, “a mode of thought for defining, classifying and expressing the presumed cultural inferiority of the Islamic Orient: In short, it is a part of the vast control mechanism of colonialism, designed to justify and perpetuate European dominance.”(13). While this pattern of orientalism can be seen in art by Said’s terms, the reflection it has on the Japanese art that was influential in Europe was less distinct. A detailed study of the history of Japan reveals that the country was completely closed to foreigners from 1600 to the nineteenth century. Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa family, who prohibited any contact with foreign missionaries or trades. Even the presence of a foreign national within the territorial borders of Japan was dealt with harsh law. This can be attributed to fears regarding Christianity and European political interests. The rulers of Japan feared that either of these two influences might empower the 12. Fort, 42 13. Donald Rosenthal. Orientalism: The Near East in French Painting, 1800-1888. Rochester: Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester, 1982 9. 12 Client’s Last Name feudal landlords to rebel against the ruling class. Though European literature wasn’t officially banned, it was not easily available. (14) As the nineteenth century approached, cities like Edo (Tokyo) emerged. This, coupled with the change in the ruler allowed the mercantile class to flourish, giving birth to a socially and economically powerful class known as the Choønin. An analogy can be made between the bourgeois and this Japanese class. The emergence of this class gradually allowed developing artistic interests and which turned to theater, romantic or comic novels and the visual arts, which in the past were the privileges of the only the wealthy upper class. This class was also responsible for the change in the social status of the Samurai. They were left nearly powerless as no major wars were being fought. Many of these samurais developed artistic, literary and scholastic interests in lieu of strictly military interests which created a continuation of their validity in society. As the various forms of arts became popular, ukiyo-e, a genre of Japanese woodblock prints emerged. Though this form of painting had existed since the 1600’s, it was discovered by the Western culture during the 1860’s. Ukiyo-e, which literally means ‘pictures of the floating world‘, utilized themes from daily life as well as the physical and cultural landscape of Japan. They were originally derived from Buddhist theory, describing man’s life as a pathway to salvation. They depicted a portrayal of the pleasures of life that helped to relieve the restraints of urban Japanese life. (15). It was precisely these paintings, which had a deep and long lasting influence on the Nabis and the other 14. Donald Keene. The Japanese Discovery of Europe, 1720-1830. California: Stanford University Press, 1969. 13. 15. Harold P. Stern. Master Prints of Japan: Ukiyo-e Hanga. New York: Abrams, 1969 13 Client’s Last Name Post-Impressionist artists. Nearly all of the salient features of ukiyo-e were in contrast with the Western style of painting. The Japanese paintings lacked any perception of depth and were essentially “flat” in nature. Ukiyo-e prints use clear color in a flat, opaque and two-dimensional manner. In fact, the “flatness of paintings”, which was a characteristic feature of the Nabis was inspired from the ukiyo-e. Another key attribute of the Nabis which was a result of the Japanese influence, was the emphasis of linear configuration. The ukiyo-e paintings are renowned for their skillful handling of lines using a pointed brush, creating strokes that would outline and be expressive at the same time. Ukiyo-e also exhibits the absence of the central perspective in the traditional sense of the word. The Japanese artists never used a fixed point or convergence lines of the central perspective. This different perspective allowed The Nabis to create a completely new spatial relationship within their work and return to the surface plane of the painting, which was a reaction to the “illusionism” of the European painting. By using different points of view in the same painting, they created a completely new space. Bonnard for example talked about the “vision mobile et variable” (Frèches-Thory et al) of a painting, which was a striking contrast from the vision fixé of the central perspective of the European paintings in the past. It is also interesting to note that the ukiyo-e artists employed a very intricate set of symbols and icons, similar to the symbolic traits found in the creations of the Nabis. Maurice Denis, a prominent member of the Nabis once wrote, “Lord we are only a few young fellows, devotees of the Symbol, 14 Client’s Last Name misunderstood by the world, which mocks us: Mystics! Lord, I pray, may our reign come to pass.” (16). This pursuit would eventually lead them towards a sense of abstraction. Just like many other post impressionist artists, the Nabis used bold, strong colors, intense lines, thick application of paint and distinctive brushstrokes. They also brought about some rather radical changes in their painting bases. Instead of the regular canvas, they used cardboards or even velvets. Their paintings were characterized by their simple and unadorned appearances. Maurice Denis defined paintings as "a flat surface covered with colors assembled in a certain order” (17). True to that belief, the Nabis experimented with flat patches of color, which gave a very uni-dimensional feel to the painting. The interpretations that the Nabis made to the prints from the Japanese can be seen in these directions the work made as it developed in their style. The first exhibition displaying Japanese prints was held at the Paris Universal Exposition in 1867, followed by another exhibition at Paris Gallery of Georges Petit in 1883. Neither of these exhibitions was as extensive and comprehensive as the one held in 1888 at the gallery of Samuel Bing. Samuel Bing was an art dealer who played a prominent role in the distribution of Japanese art throughout Europe. Interestingly, he later commissioned the Nabis to design stained glass windows for Tiffany’s. These exhibitions played a pivotal role in the incorporation of Japanese artistic elements in the Western art. 16. Frèches-Thory et al. The Nabis. Bonnard,Vuillard and Their Circle. New York : Harry N. Abrams, Inc.,Publishers, 1990. 17. Genn, Robert. “Maurice Denis Art Quotes”. The Painter’s Keys. 29 December 2008. 15 Client’s Last Name An exhibition held at Ecole des Beaux Arts in 1890, set off a craze for Japanese prints, even amongst the general masses. Japanese prints were now available in department stores, like Bon Marche or Printemps. Hokusai and Hiroshige were the first Japanese artists whose ukiyo-e became popularly important. Hokusai’s Manga, a fifteen volume series of sketch-books, became an important source for French artists like Nabis interested in Japanese prints. Hiroshige is remembered for his magnificent landscape prints. He had a fondness for the various moods of nature, especially the seasons and weather which he created in a serene and peaceful manner. Later, Nabis also discovered Utamaro , the classic painter of the Japanese print, and his followers Kionaga, Kuniyoshi, and several other Japanese artists who painted scenes from Japanese theatre. Figure 3 Night Snow at Cambera, Heritage (18) 18. Figure 5 - Night Snow at Cambera, Hiroshige(Source, ) 16 Client’s Last Name The close association that these artists had developed with the Japanese prints can be shown by the fact that they possessed a rich collection of ukiyo-e paintings. Vuillard alone owned some 190 Japanese prints, some of which he had on the walls of his house. (19). French porcelain dealer Felix Bracquemond, distributed these prints among French artists, who were intrigued with the bright colors, the flatness of the print designs, the sharpness of the lines, and the subject matter. Unlike the work of the early nineteenth century that was influenced by the culture of the East, the Nabis were influenced by Japanese art in a completely different way. One can’t deny the fact that initially they did consider that the Japanese art was “primitive”, which can also be attributed to the initial reaction to the simplicity of these paintings. But towards the end of the nineteenth century, when they truly began to comprehend the intricacies of Japanese prints, they were genuinely inspired by their techniques. The extent to which they incorporated these techniques in their own creations is only testimony to their admiration. What is also different about this particular case is that the Nabis did not necessarily have Japanese subjects in their paintings. The culture was not adopted, but rather their style of painting. One cannot find any artistic creations which suggest Japan as barbaric or ancient, which was the case during the Islamic phase of Orientalism. As is mentioned earlier, exhibitions played a key role in creating awareness about Japanese arts, more specifically ukiyo-e prints for the Nabis. The Nabis were also 19. Groom, 214. 17 Client’s Last Name impressed by Japanese painters’ representation of the kneeling women and their bent hips, with their torso bent forward (penché en avant). The curved female figure, which was almost unheard of in the European art, impressed the Nabis greatly. Ibels, for example used that position in order to express a completely new posture of the body. The Japanese often used a thick black line to outline the figures in their paintings. This line or the arabesque that outlined the figures provided a sense of volume and depth to the otherwise flat paintings. Les Nabis were also searching for an arabesque that could render some plasticity to their paintings. Instead of modeling their figures with light and shadows, they adopted the Japanese arabesque that in its own movement gave a Figure 4 Poster Depicting Entertainers, Singers Commedia del Arte, Henri-Gabriel Ibels, (1897) (20) projection of volume to the plane surface. Unfortunately, the difference in artistic opinions and desires surfaced within the 20. Figure 6 - Poster Depicting Entertainers, Singers Commedia del Arte, Henri-Gabriel Ibels, (1897) (Source, ) 18 Client’s Last Name group by 1896. The lack of a clear, united vision encouraged the individual members to pursue their individual ambitions. Their existence as a group had begun to diminish ever since 1892, as the meetings became less regular. The crevices initially appeared when Paul Sérusier returned from his visit to the Benedictine Monastery in Beuron, Germany. In Beuron, the monk artists preached a set of aesthetic principles according to which the laws of art were divine and only an artist could perceive the expression and proportion of a piece of art. Sérusier was influenced by this philosophy and shared it with the other members of the Nabis. But his thoughts were met with little enthusiasm, and this marked the beginning of the end. Sérusier consciously dwindled his association with the Nabis and followed his set of principles. This also led to the formation of two schools of thoughts within the Nabis. Sérusier, along with Denis and Ranson believed in the divine nature of art and perceived mystic connection between their art and their religious and theosophical belief. Their religious beliefs were the inspiration behind their art forms, thus the subjects of their paintings were often mythical and traditional in nature. The opposing school of thought, constituted primarily by Bonnard, Vuillard and Vallotton, did not relate strongly to the aesthetic element. Their art was essentially derived from modern and non-traditional sources. Over the years, the former group still remained loyal to the beliefs of the Nabis, while the latter made a radical departure to more Impressionist styles of paintings. They continued using flat surfaces for their paintings, carrying forward some form of Nabis legacy. 19 Client’s Last Name As the world was able to glimpse past the closed culture of the Japanese, it was able to see a new way of thinking emerge in cultural experiences such as artistic works that spoke of Japanese aesthetics. In seeking new ideals to express themselves to their own culture, the Nabis saw in the woodblock prints of the ukiyo-e a way in which to manifest the expressive ideals that were intended by their school of thought. Although the cultural images of the Japanese did not appear in the work being done by these artists, the conceptual influence created an avenue of expression. The way in which color was used, the ability to express emotion by the way in which the body was handled, and the bold outline which would create a flattened editorial, all were influenced by the Japanese prints that had invaded pop culture of the late nineteenth century. While the concepts of ’Orientalism’ had been a vehicle for prejudice and ignorance for the artists of the early nineteenth century, the artists of the later half, and specifically those of the Nabis would be able to separate ethnic perceptions with conceptual ideals. In the early part of the century, fantastical themes would dominate the use of ’Orientalism’, where artists such as those of the Nabis would look at the work and deconstruct the methodology in order to increase the potential of their own work. The influence of the Japanese was not a propagation of stereotyping and prejudice, but a lesson in cross cultural learning, highlighted by the utilization of Japanese appeal in Western themes. As the art world stood on the precipice of Modernity, with its abstract ideas which would eventually work against Impressionists and Expressionists, the artists of the time 20 Client’s Last Name were able to open up the traditional elements that were holding their work to standards that could not possibility allow them the fully experience the expression they were yearning to achieve. The delicate beauty and grace of the Japanese prints were emboldened with a brash use of color and strong strokes. Still, these works were the inspiration of the form of line and the contour of curve that would mark the era that belonged to the Nabis. While there is no doubt that prejudice against the people of the East would exist in Europe during the late nineteenth century, the respect for the work would bridge the gap between cultures. The Nabis would impact the new world of art that was coming, fortified by a cross-culture experience that freed them from the constraints that were stifling the experience with brush and paint that they were craving, but not getting from their old masters. By utilizing the influential showings of the Manga by the Japanese artists that they would come to admire, the Nabis, a group of renegade art students, would find a solid place in art history. 21 Client’s Last Name Works Cited Delannoy, Agnès. Symbolistes et Nabis : Maurice Denis et son temps. Paris : Somogy, 1996. Fort, Lene S. Femme Fatale or Caring Mother? The Orientalist Woman’s Struggle for Dignity. Picturing the Middle East. ed. Henry Krawitz. New York: Dahesh Museum, 1990. Frèches-Thory et al. The Nabis. Bonnard,Vuillard and Their Circle. New York : Harry N. Abrams, Inc.,Publishers, 1990. Genn, Robert. “Maurice Denis Art Quotes”. The Painter’s Keys. 29 December 2008. Groom, Gloria. Edouard Vuillard, Painter–Decorator. New Haven: Yale University, 1999. Keene, Donald. The Japanese Discovery of Europe, 1720-1830. California: Stanford University Press, 1969 Macfie, A. L. Orientalism: A Reader. New York: New York University Press, 2000. Rosenthal, Donald. Orientalism: The Near East in French Painting, 1800-1888. Rochester: Memorial Art Gallery of the University of Rochester, 1982. Said, Edward W. Orientalism. New York: Vintage Books, 1979. Stern, Harold P. Master Prints of Japan: Ukiyo-e Hanga. New York: Abrams, 1969 22 Client’s Last Name List of Illustrations Figure 1 - The Yellow Christ (Le Christ, Jaune), Paul Gauguin (1889) Oil on Canvas (Source, ) Figure 2 The Talisman, Paul Sérusier (1888) (Source, ) Figure 3 Springtime, Maurice Denis, (1894-99) (Source, ) Figure 4 - The Turkish Bath Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, (1862) (Source, ) Figure 5 - Night Snow at Cambera, Hiroshige (Source, ) Figure 6 - Poster Depicting Entertainers, Singers Commedia del Arte, Henri-Gabriel Ibels, (1897) (Source, ) 23 Abstract: Orientalism and the French Artists of Les Nabis The Nabis were a group of students who sought to go against the established academic standards for art and explore new ideas and methods in order to focus on emotional content rather than subject matter. The Nabis were Post-Impressionistic, as they were active in the latter half of the nineteenth century. The artists of the nineteenth century were affected by the influences coming from Eastern cultures. The way in which those cultures were interpreted was biased in that the concepts were created from a lack of true knowledge and based on impressions, rather than realities. In this way, the continuing development of the concept of ‘Orientalism’ would affect the work of that century. However, the work of the early part of the century depicted inaccurate images that were indicative of a Western society that was struggling to understand the cultures of the East that were foundationally different than the West. The theories of Edward Said demonstrate how the East has been academically defined by an inaccurate definition created by the concept of ‘Orientalism’. The work of the Nabis was influenced, not by the culture of the Japanese, but by the way in which the artwork of the Japanese was created. This was a distinct difference between the Nabis and the earlier artists. The Nabis examined line, form, and emotional impressions. None of the Nabis paintings depicted subjects of ’Oriental’ origin. The use of these influences by the Nabis would have impact on the work that was to come during the Modern Period. Abstraction would begin with the Nabis and the stripping away of detail to leave only emotional content would be the beginnings of new theories and ideas in artistic expression. Read More