Post-Impressionism

Cloisonnism

a symbolist art-movement

Émile Bernard (1868-1941): 1892, SDbl, Le marché aux cochons, xx, xx (iR155;iR10)

Cloisonnism:
March 1888 Édouard Dujardin wrote in a review in the Revue Indépendante and introduced “cloisonnisme” as a new genre (iR40;=R268). He attributed it only to Louis Anquetin, who had exhibited at Les XX in Brussels and at the Salon des Independants in Paris (iR4;R181,p609). As caracteristics Dujardin mentioned: rendering a minimum of lines; using closed lines, therein a juxtapostion of colours render the sensation and this way rendering compartments (cloisonné); complementairy colours would destroy the unity of the painting; painting with plain colours; a violent and interrupted colouring; a symbolic conception of art; rendering not the image of nature, but the character / the sense of the objects / the essential; decorative painting; an intellectual and systhematic construction.
Note: several of his discriptions will later be used to describe Synthetism or Symbolism.

Louis Anquetin: 1887, SDbr, Le Faucheur (Mower at Noon), 69x53, private (iR6;R268,p491) =XX-1888 + SdI-1888, Faucheur, midi — Louis Anquetin: 1887, SDbr, Le Faucheur (Mower at Noon), 69×53, private (iR6;R268,p491) =XX-1888 + SdI-1888, Faucheur, midi

Louis Anquetin: 1887, SDbl, Avenue de Clichy, Five O’Clock in the Evening, 69x53, WAMA Hartford (iR64;iR6;R181II,p436;R268,p491;M162) =XX-1888 + SdI-1888, Rue, cinq heures du soir, ébauche — Louis Anquetin: 1887, SDbl, Avenue de Clichy, Five O’Clock in the Evening, 69×53, WAMA Hartford (iR64;iR6;R181II,p436;R268,p491;M162) =XX-1888 + SdI-1888, Rue, cinq heures du soir, ébauche

Paul Gauguin: 1888, CR311, SDbl, Still Life with Three Puppies, on wood, 92x63, MoMa New York (iR2;R181,no311;R128,no293;M41) — Paul Gauguin: 1888, CR311, SDbl, Still Life with Three Puppies, on wood, 92×63, MoMa New York (iR2;R181,no311;R128,no293;M41)

Cloissonism is a decorative form of painting, a symbolic concept of art. Characteristic for it’s style is the use of compartmented areas of flat, violent colour with a clear outline. Blue (or black) outlined areas of pure colours are placed next to each other decoratively and without transitional tones (R170,p104). The artists tried to depict, not the external appearance of nature, but it’s character / sentiment / essence. In other words the object was symbolised. Perspective and the faithful representation of nuances, details and natural conditions are neglected (R170,p104). This art-movement was inspired by Japonism, primitive art, enamel art and stained-glass windows. Sérusier called Cézanne, who thickened and distorted his lines, the first practitioner of the ‘Cloison’ (the partition) (R181II,p459+457). Cloisonnism can be translated as ‘Partitionism’. Cloisons are compartments.

To discern Cloisonnism from Synthetism and Symbolism I like to describe Cloisonnism as a symbolist art-movement, initiated in France by Anquetin and Bernard around 1887, which, like stained-glass windows, use obvious lines, thus creating compartments which are evenly coloured. Since the late summer of 1888 these elements of Cloisonnism are integrated in Synthetism.

Émile Bernard: 1887, SDbr, Iron Bridges at Asnières, 46x54, MoMa New York (iR6;R181II,p354;M41) — Émile Bernard: 1887, SDbr, Iron Bridges at Asnières, 46×54, MoMa New York (iR6;R181II,p354;M41)

Émile Bernard: 1887, SDbr, Two woman at the Asnière footbridge, 38x47, MBA Brest (iR6;iR23;R181II,p359;M213) — Émile Bernard: 1887, SDbr, Two woman at the Asnière footbridge, 38×47, MBA Brest (iR6;iR23;R181II,p359;M213)

Note: this use of clear lines, is in contradiction with the impressionist painting style, where lines are faded, because, as Dujardin put it ‘in nature lines don’t exist’ (R268,p490). Also the use of compartments with relative uniform colours, contradicts the impressionist use of juxtaposed small brush strokes with nuances of colours, also depending on the influence of (trees filtered) light.

Already around November-December 1887 there had been an exhibition held at the Grand-Bouillon restaurant, where Anquetin and Bernard included Cloisonnist works. (R181,p353+607). Gauguin visited this exhibition and would give the next year a deeper significance to the principles of Cloisonnism (R181II,p465+CR308). Gauguin didn’t consequently use this Cloissonnist technique, compare CR313 (see). Also Vincent van Gogh admired Cloisonnism as he wrote (1888/08/18) ‘I want to put colours like those of stained glass windows and drawings with strong lines into my paintings’ (R181II,p457).

Émile Bernard (1868-1941): 1888, SDbl, Bretonnes au goémon, wc+g, 27x41, MDMD Saint-Germain-en-Lays (iR23;iR19;M214) =V1889, no.80 or 81 or 82, Croquis à Pont-Aven - Aquarelle — Émile Bernard (1868-1941): 1888, SDbl, Bretonnes au goémon, wc+g, 27×41, MDMD Saint-Germain-en-Lays (iR23;iR19;M214) =V1889, no.80 or 81 or 82, Croquis à Pont-Aven – Aquarelle

Émile Bernard (1868-1941): 1892, SDbr, Breton Women with umbrellas, 81x105, Orsay (iR6;iR8;iR23;iR2;R16,p73) — Émile Bernard (1868-1941): 1892, SDbr, Breton Women with umbrellas, 81×105, Orsay (iR6;iR8;iR23;iR2;R16,p73)

Paul Gauguin (1848-1903): 1888, CR327, Madame Roulin, 49x63, Saint-Louis AM (iR2;R181,no327;R128,no298;M157) =? Volpini 1889-46, Portrait = Arles — Paul Gauguin (1848-1903): 1888, CR327, Madame Roulin, 49×63, Saint-Louis AM (iR2;R181,no327;R128,no298;M157) =? Volpini 1889-46, Portrait = Arles

Sources: Dujardin (1888=R268); Crussard (2002=R181); see links for more info on WikiPedia (iR3).

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