Maurice DENIS

At the center of the Nabis group of artists, along with Edouard Vuillard and Pierre Bonnard, stood a man with a boundless work ethic: Maurice Denis (1870-1943).  As a matter of fact, this seems to be the case for most Nabis, who all, like Denis, left behind vast oeuvres.  A painter at heart, Denis, worked relentlessly, composing mostly landscapes, in which women dominate.  While some of his work tends towards symbolism, his style is clearly calmer than that of other symbolists.  Religion and a strong family life were both driving forces for Denis.  Catholicism, two wives and nine children seem to have been his true North.  In his lithographs, a good many in color, themes of love, the idealized woman, faith and children all take on substantial roles.