This exhibition catalog reveals a fascinating and lesser-known side of Maurice Denis (1870–1943): not only as a painter and theorist, but as a discerning collector of modern art.
Over the course of his life, Denis assembled a remarkable collection reflecting some of the most important developments in European art at the turn of the 20th century. From Paul Gauguin and Vincent van Gogh to Paul Cézanne and Odilon Redon, the works he acquired offer an unusually personal view of the artistic movements and ideas that shaped his own generation.
The Nabis naturally occupied a central place in Denis’s collection. Pierre Bonnard, Aristide Maillol, Paul-Élie Ranson, Paul Sérusier, Jan Verkade, and Édouard Vuillard were represented alongside artists Denis regarded as masters and sources of inspiration. His collection thus created a dialogue between his own work and that of his friends, contemporaries, teachers, and artistic predecessors.
Based on extensive scholarly research, the catalog brings together paintings, sculptures, and works on paper collected by Denis from his early career through his mature years. Presented in relation to the interiors in which he lived and worked, these objects illuminate both his personal taste and the artistic relationships that surrounded him.
Richly illustrated with 221 images, including previously unpublished photographic and archival material, Maurice Denis collectionneur offers a distinctive perspective on Denis and a compelling portrait of the artistic world surrounding Les Nabis and the emergence of modern art.
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