Rams, The Year - Georges Lacombe

A stylised, rhythmic depiction of rolling hills and two rams by French Nabis artist Georges Lacombe, featuring a muted, earthy colour palette.

Georges Lacombe, a member of the Nabis group, produced this work during a period of intense artistic experimentation in late nineteenth-century France. The Nabis sought to move away from naturalistic representation, favouring instead a decorative approach that prioritised flat planes of colour and simplified forms. This painting, often titled 'Rams, The Year', reflects these stylistic concerns through its rhythmic, undulating depiction of the terrain. The composition is dominated by rolling hills that create a sense of rhythmic movement across the canvas. The two rams, positioned in the lower centre, provide a scale for the vast, sweeping topography. A solitary windmill sits on the horizon, acting as a small, vertical anchor against the expansive sky. The colour palette is restrained, relying on earthy tones of ochre, olive, and muted brown to convey the texture of the ground. The sky, filled with heavy, stylised clouds, suggests a quiet, perhaps melancholic atmosphere. Lacombe was known for his interest in both painting and sculpture, and his work often displays a sculptural quality in the way forms are defined. The outlines of the hills are clear and deliberate, reinforcing the two-dimensional nature of the picture plane. This approach was characteristic of the Nabis, who were influenced by Japanese woodblock prints and the desire to integrate art into everyday life. By reducing the scene to its essential components, Lacombe invites the viewer to focus on the harmony of shapes and the overall mood of the rural setting. The work remains a clear example of the transition from traditional representation to the more abstract, symbolic concerns that would define much of early twentieth-century European art.