Post-Impressionism
Maurice Denis
1870 – 1943
important French Symbolist
Introduction:
Maurice Denis was a central member of Les Nabis, who integrated elements of Cloisonnism en Synthetism. His paintings are good examples of these styles, that can’t be fully discerned. Gibson calls him “The most gifted and versatile of the French Symbolists. (R470,p231)”
Denis as an artist:
Denis at first painted in a Pointillist style. But, he is mainly known as a symbolist painter. He made decorations for several buildings and churches. He also illustrated some novels↓. He also was a writer and an art-theoretician and made some publications↓ on Symbolism. in 1918 he founded with Georges Desvallières (1861-1950) ‘Ateliers de l’Art Sacré’. From 1908-22 professor at the Académie Ranson.
Connections:
In his youth Denis had connections with post-impressionists like Vuillard en Roussel. Early 1888 Denis attended the Académie Julian. Here he had connections with post-impressionists like Bonnard, Ranson and Sérusier. They later that year formed Les Nabis.
Exhibitions:
Exhibited at the Salon des Indépendants (irregular from 1891-1910), with the Expositions Impressionnistes et Symbolistes (1891-93?), the SNBA (1895 onwards), Les XX, La Libre Esthétique and the Secession (1903). He was one of the founders of the Salon d’Automne (R16,p127). One of his works was exhibited in the “impressionist” room at an exhibition in Rome in 1913.
Publications:
Théories (1890-1910); Du Symbolisme et de Gauguin vers un nouvel ordre classique’; Paris, 1912. (R49,p93; iR19).
Nouvelles théories sur l’art moderne, sur l’art sacré 1914-1921. L. Rouart & J. Watelin, Paris 1922. (see; see)
Carnets de voyage en Italie: 1921-1922 (with illustrations). Paris, Jacques Beltrand, 1925. (see; see)
‘L’époque du symbolisme’ in Gazette des Beaux-Arts in 1934 (R181II,p629).
Sources: R298,p55; Negri (1974=R289,p89-90); R300,p144; R181,p608; R16,p127/8; R229,p521/2; R470,p38+432; iR216; see links for info + pictures on the internet: Wikipedia (iR3); Wikimedia (iR6); Joconde (iR23). For further reading see: R56,p166/7).
For further reading:
Catalogue Raisonne De L’oeuvre Grave Et Lithographie de Maurice Denis. Geneva, 1968.
André Gide (1869-1951): Le voyage d’Urien (Symbolist novel with lithos by Maurice Denis). Librairie de l’Art indépendant, Paris, 1893. (see)
Maurice Barrès (1862-1923): La mort de Venise (novel). Paris, 1903. Publication 1930 with illustrations of Maurice Denis. (see)
Recommanded citation: Post-Impressionism: Maurice Denis (1870-1943). Last modified 2025/02/11. https://www.impressionism.nl/maurice-denis-1870-1943/”
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