Rise of Les Nabis

Les Nabis were a group of young French artists active in Paris in the late nineteenth century. The group formed around Paul Serusier, who in 1888 had painted a small landscape under the guidance of Paul Gauguin in Brittany, using simplified shapes and bold, unnatural colours. Other members included Pierre Bonnard, Edouard Vuillard, Maurice Denis and Felix Vallotton. Their name comes from the Hebrew and Arabic word for prophet, and they saw themselves as prophets of a new kind of art. They rejected strict naturalism, favouring flat areas of colour, decorative patterns and an emphasis on feeling. Their work spanned painting, prints, posters, book illustration, stage design and decorative arts.

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