Two Breton Women under a Flowering Apple Tree - Paul Sérusier

A classic Post-Impressionist work by Paul Sérusier, featuring two women in traditional Breton dress beneath a flowering apple tree.

Paul Sérusier, a central figure in the Nabis group, painted this work during his time in Pont-Aven, Brittany. The composition features two women in traditional Breton attire, seated beneath the boughs of an apple tree in bloom. Sérusier employs a flattened perspective and bold, simplified forms, which reflect the influence of Paul Gauguin and the Synthetist approach. Rather than attempting to replicate the natural world with photographic precision, the artist prioritises the decorative arrangement of colour and shape.

The figures are rendered with heavy outlines, a technique that separates them from the background and emphasises the two-dimensional nature of the canvas. The palette is restrained, relying on the contrast between the dark, muted tones of the women's clothing and the pale, delicate pinks of the apple blossoms. This choice of colour creates a quiet, contemplative mood, typical of Sérusier's work from this period. The Breton subjects were a common theme for artists in the region, who were drawn to the area's perceived simplicity and traditional customs.

Sérusier's approach to this scene demonstrates his interest in the expressive potential of colour. By reducing the visual information to its essential components, he invites the viewer to focus on the rhythm of the lines and the balance of the composition. The work serves as a clear example of the Nabis' rejection of naturalism in favour of a more subjective, symbolic representation of reality. The apple tree, with its blossoms, provides a gentle frame for the figures, grounding them within the rural setting while maintaining the overall decorative quality of the piece. This print captures the specific textures and tones of the original oil painting, offering a clear view of Sérusier's brushwork and his deliberate use of simplified form.