Paul Ranson Collection
Paul Ranson (1861 – 1909), founding member of the Nabis group nicknamed by his associates the “nabi more Japanese than the Japanese nabi”, will find in the decorative arts a preferred means of expressing himself, more than all the other members of the group. Wallpapers, tapestries, stained glass windows, decorative panels and even puppets, he will also be a scenographer.
His workshop nicknamed “The Temple” where the group met was an opportunity to engage in more or less occult ceremonies while indulging in the pranks to which they were accustomed.
A true promoter of Art Nouveau, he breathes life into the variety of media he used to create with inspiration from nature but also a taste for symbols, as well as a keen interest in theosophy, esotericism, occultism and magic.
Suffering from health problems, burdened by financial issues, seeming ill-adapted to the society of his time, he takes refuge in a dreamlike universe populated by fantastical creatures. To help him, his Nabis friends opened a painting academy which was called after him and of which he will be director.
Collection and work in close collaboration and with the kind authorization of the Musée des Beaux Arts de Quimper
