Confirmand's Procession
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Confirmand's Procession
Maker
Émile Bernard
(b. 1868, Lille, France – d. 1941, Paris, France)
Date1891
GeographyFrance, Europe
MediumOil on canvas
Dimensions21 in. x 28 1/2 in. (53.3 cm x 72.4 cm)
Credit LineGift of Chester D. Tripp in memory of his wife, Madeline Hanson Tripp (Class of 1907)
Object number1966.15
Status
Not on viewRightsCopyright is retained in accordance with U.S. Copyright laws
Photo creditDavis Museum at Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
More InformationSuspended from the École des Beaux Arts for the his “expressive tendencies,” Bernard’s relationships with Paul Gaugin and Vincent van Gogh, among others, forged a context for his investigations into new ways of painting. This picture depicts a confirmation ceremony in a small fishing village in Brittany. Bernard moves away from naturalistic effects by simplifying forms and details; he represents the pious young women processing as elegant modulations of abstracted figures and invites the eye to traverse the landscape through a series of linear switchbacks toward a calm sea. The picture speaks to medieval precedents and modern tendencies, and hits a mark between representation and impression. The effects of light seem to wash away unnecessary detail, and the somber tone of the pale, muted palette suits the subject.