The Garland of Roses by Paul Sérusier

Rich in bucolic and spring symbols, the composition sets out to celebrate the harmony of collective rural labor. This original creation produced by Paul Sérusier and named “The Garland of Roses” fits into the Nabi decorative aesthetic through its colorful freshness and botanical lyricism. The artist depicts with great poetry a group of young women united in crafting a long floral garland.

Four female figures wearing traditional bonnets form a human chain amidst generous, lush green vegetation. On the left, a young woman seen in profile wearing an embroidered purple apron raises her hand to attach roses to the tree. In the center, a standing companion in a red outfit supports the garland woven with leaves and pink and white flowers. Seated on the right, a third figure dressed in a blue dress with circular patterns prepares the branches, flanked by a fourth young woman lying on the grass. A wicker basket filled with fresh flowers rests in the foreground, before a hillside landscape under a radiant sun.

Paul Sérusier demonstrates accomplished talent for assembling organic shapes and geometric patterns of traditional costumes. His irreproachable mastery of pictorial technique translates into a vibrant rendering of colors and great plastic elegance.