The Talisman by Paul Sérusier

Considered the founding act of the Nabi movement under the impetus of Paul Gauguin’s advice in Pont-Aven, this revolutionary work marks the history of modern art. The painter Paul Sérusier theorizes the liberation of color in the famous panel entitled “The Talisman”. The painting transforms the real landscape of the Bois d’Amour into a pure combination of flat colored areas freed from literal imitation.

The wooden surface is entirely covered in flat areas of pure colors juxtaposed without gradients or superfluous details. In the center, a vertical strip of sparkling ochre yellow represents a path bordered by the river. On the right, masses of dark green and dark brown suggest the leafy trees of the underbrush. Touches of bright, clear blue embody water reflections and patches of sky between branches. Toward the top, a blue and white geometric shape evokes the silhouette of a mill with dark roofs. The composition is organized as a rhythmic mosaic where nature becomes a network of intense chromatic equivalents.

The conceptual boldness and expertise of Paul Sérusier burst forth in the radical simplification of forms and the intensity of pure pigments. His pioneering handling of painting on wood lays the foundations of modern abstraction with masterly skill.