Short summary of their history, art, and their role in the evolution of painting in the twentieth century, with copious links to articles here.
Nabis
High-chroma, constructive strokes, realism typical of the mid-20th century, and ‘corn style’ using coalescent tiles of high-chroma paint – you couldn’t get further from being Nabi.
What became of those who had been Nabis in the early 20th century? These four never completely abandoned their Nabi roots, as seen in their paintings.
After 1895, their styles and themes diverged, with Japonisme popular, and motifs ranging from the streets of Paris to the great waves of the Brittany coast.
Paintings from 1893-95 feature predominantly women, and explore the theme of womanhood. Bonnard, Vuillard, Sérusier and others.
Flattened perspective, muted colours, and decorative patterning: some of the characteristics of the early Nabi years.
Paul Gauguin inspired and launched the Nabis during the late 1880s at Pont-Aven. They first exhibited in 1889, and published their manifesto in 1890, by which time he had moved onto another project.
Friend, pupil and colleague of Paul Gauguin, he painted avidly in Brittany around 1890, then suddenly left and all but vanished, as have his paintings.
Influence by Gauguin and Sérusier, he painted intensively in Brittany as a Nabi. By 1894, he had entered a monastery, where he worked in the Beuron Art School.
Around 1905, with his chroma increasing, he developed a new style of applying paint in patches: corn style. This dominated his paintings, given many a distinctive vibrance.
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