Maurice Denis (1870-1943) French
Works
Biography
La Grande Baigneuse ou Suzanne au bain, 1904
Theorist of Symbolism, Pioneer of Modernism, and Poet of the Sacred and Intimate
At Bailly Gallery, where our curatorial vision is rooted in presenting the most influential voices of modern art, we are proud to highlight Maurice Denis—a painter, writer, and thinker who helped shape the philosophical and aesthetic foundations of 20th-century painting. Both a key member of Les Nabis and a deeply spiritual artist, Denis bridged Symbolism, Post-Impressionism, and early Modernism with remarkable coherence, lyricism, and intellectual depth.
Born in Granville, Normandy in 1870, Denis was a prodigy of both visual and verbal expression. He studied at the Académie Julian and the École des Beaux-Arts, but quickly departed from traditional academic methods. In 1888, alongside contemporaries such as Pierre Bonnard, Édouard Vuillard, and Paul Sérusier, he co-founded Les Nabis—a radical group of young painters inspired by Gauguin and Japanese prints, who sought to break from realism in favor of decorative, symbolic, and spiritual expression.
Denis’s famous 1890 declaration, “Remember that a picture—before being a war horse, a nude woman, or an anecdote—is essentially a flat surface covered with colors assembled in a certain order,” became a cornerstone of modern art theory. With this statement, Denis anticipated the abstraction and conceptual clarity that would define 20th-century art movements from Cubism to Minimalism.
His art, however, remained deeply human and spiritual. Denis explored religious themes, mythological allegories, and scenes of maternal and domestic tenderness with warmth, balance, and serenity. His compositions are infused with a subtle decorative rhythm, and his refined palette—of ochres, soft greens, and muted reds—conveys both emotional intimacy and timeless grace.
Denis was also a master of fresco and large-scale decorative projects, producing murals for churches, theaters, and private chapels throughout France. A devout Catholic, he reimagined sacred art for the modern era, combining liturgical tradition with Post-Impressionist style. His spiritual commitment never conflicted with his modernist principles; instead, it enriched them, giving his work a rare sense of purpose and transcendence.
Over the course of his career, Denis exhibited widely and became a respected art theorist, teacher, and museum advocate. His works are held in major institutions including the Musée d'Orsay, Centre Pompidou, and the Petit Palais, as well as numerous regional museums and private collections.
At Bailly Gallery, where we honor artists who redefined the language of modern art, Maurice Denis stands out as both a pioneer and a philosopher. His paintings offer collectors an exceptional synthesis of aesthetic innovation and spiritual resonance—reminders that modernism, at its most profound, can still be a vehicle for grace, clarity, and deeply personal meaning.
At Bailly Gallery, where our curatorial vision is rooted in presenting the most influential voices of modern art, we are proud to highlight Maurice Denis—a painter, writer, and thinker who helped shape the philosophical and aesthetic foundations of 20th-century painting. Both a key member of Les Nabis and a deeply spiritual artist, Denis bridged Symbolism, Post-Impressionism, and early Modernism with remarkable coherence, lyricism, and intellectual depth.
Born in Granville, Normandy in 1870, Denis was a prodigy of both visual and verbal expression. He studied at the Académie Julian and the École des Beaux-Arts, but quickly departed from traditional academic methods. In 1888, alongside contemporaries such as Pierre Bonnard, Édouard Vuillard, and Paul Sérusier, he co-founded Les Nabis—a radical group of young painters inspired by Gauguin and Japanese prints, who sought to break from realism in favor of decorative, symbolic, and spiritual expression.
Denis’s famous 1890 declaration, “Remember that a picture—before being a war horse, a nude woman, or an anecdote—is essentially a flat surface covered with colors assembled in a certain order,” became a cornerstone of modern art theory. With this statement, Denis anticipated the abstraction and conceptual clarity that would define 20th-century art movements from Cubism to Minimalism.
His art, however, remained deeply human and spiritual. Denis explored religious themes, mythological allegories, and scenes of maternal and domestic tenderness with warmth, balance, and serenity. His compositions are infused with a subtle decorative rhythm, and his refined palette—of ochres, soft greens, and muted reds—conveys both emotional intimacy and timeless grace.
Denis was also a master of fresco and large-scale decorative projects, producing murals for churches, theaters, and private chapels throughout France. A devout Catholic, he reimagined sacred art for the modern era, combining liturgical tradition with Post-Impressionist style. His spiritual commitment never conflicted with his modernist principles; instead, it enriched them, giving his work a rare sense of purpose and transcendence.
Over the course of his career, Denis exhibited widely and became a respected art theorist, teacher, and museum advocate. His works are held in major institutions including the Musée d'Orsay, Centre Pompidou, and the Petit Palais, as well as numerous regional museums and private collections.
At Bailly Gallery, where we honor artists who redefined the language of modern art, Maurice Denis stands out as both a pioneer and a philosopher. His paintings offer collectors an exceptional synthesis of aesthetic innovation and spiritual resonance—reminders that modernism, at its most profound, can still be a vehicle for grace, clarity, and deeply personal meaning.
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