Private Lives

Last week I returned to the Cleveland Museum of Art to see a special exhibition entitled "Private Lives: Home and Family in the Art of the Nabis, Paris, 1889-1900".  The "Nabis" (the name comes from the Hebrew word for "prophet") were a post-Impressionist group of painters in late 19th century Paris.  Their artwork, inspired by Gaughin, emphasized suggestion, emotion and sensation rather than literal depiction.  Many of their paintings were intimate portrayals of the artists' home life and family.  This exhibit, which closed last week, brought together over 150 paintings, drawings and prints from numerous museums and private collections.  It focused on four artists of the Nabi brotherhood... Pierre Bonnard, Maurice Denis, Felix Vaillotton, and Edouard Vuillard.  (I have to admit that the only one of the four that I had ever heard of was Bonnard.)

Although it was an interesting exhibition, I cannot say that any of the artists are favorites of mine, and it was not the most memorable show that I have seen at the museum.

Here is a small sample of the paintings that were on display...

"The Lamp" by Pierre Bonnard

from the Flint Institute of Art

"Boy Eating Cherries" by Pierre Bonnard

from the National Gallery of Ireland

"Woman in a Striped Dress" by Edouard Vuillard

from the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.

"Woman Sweeping" by Edouard Vuillard

from the Cleveland Museum of Art

"Portrait of the Artist's Wife" by Felix Vallotton 

from a private collection

"The Lie" by Felix Vallotton

from the Baltimore Museum of Art

"The Mender at the Window" by Maurice Denis

from the Petit Palais, Paris

"Marthe and Maurice" by Maurice Denis

from a private collection