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Beyond the Easel: Decorative Painting by Bonnard, Vuillard, Denis, and Roussel, 1890–1930
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Young Goats, 1897–99
Maurice Denis (French, 1870–1943)
Distemper on canvas mounted on wood; 16 7/8 x 37 3/4 in. (43 x 96 cm)
Private collection
© 2001 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/ADAGP, Paris
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DescriptionIn 1895 the art dealer Siegfried Bing invited Denis to create a bedroom decoration for the launch of his new gallery, the Maison de l'Art Nouveau. Inspired by Robert Schumann's song cycle, "Frauenliebe und Leben" ("The Love and Life of a Woman"), Denis created seven panels that were hung high on the walls as a frieze. He also insisted on designing the bedroom furniture for the room. Much to Denis's disappointment, his furniture was roundly criticized and the seven paintings were separated after the exhibition.
Toward the end of the following year, Denis painted a nearly identical ensemble to hang on the deep violet walls of his wife's bedroom. This second series is painted in distemper rather than oil and is slightly bluer in tonality. When Denis moved his family to a larger residence in 1900, he replaced the two overdoor paintings with ones that matched the dimensions of the new doors.
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