The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of February 8, 2023

Procession on Pardon at Perros-Guirec

1891

Maurice Denis

(French, 1870–1943)

France

Oil on canvas

Unframed: 55.9 x 46.4 cm (22 x 18 1/4 in.)

Nancy F. and Joseph P. Keithley Collection Gift 2020.108

Location

not on view

Fun Fact

A pardon is a ceremony that occurs on the feast of the patron saint of a church often followed by a procession.

Description

While the parades following ceremonies dedicated to saints known as pardon processions are traditionally silent, Denis often spoke of his work in musical terms using "rhythm" and "harmony" to describe color and composition. This painting embodies rhythm through the repetition of figural groupings and the movement of the procession. Harmony can be seen in the use of complementary colors that satisfy the eye when paired together.

Provenance
1891–1940
Edouard Vuillard [1868-1940] Paris, France, gifted from the artist in 1891 1
by 1970
Private Collection, Paris, France 2
after 1984
(Galerie Hopkins-Custot, Paris, France) 3
by 1992
Private Collection, France 4
2020
Nancy F. and Joseph P. Keithley, Cleveland, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art
2020–
The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH

Provenance Footnotes

1 According to Maurice Denis, 1870-1943 (Paris: Réunion des Musées Nationaux, 1994), p. 133, cat. no. 14, the painting remained with Vuillard until his death in 1940.
2 According to Maurice Denis and Anne Distel, Maurice Denis. Orangerie des Tuileries, 3 juin-31 août 1970. (Paris: Ministère d'État, Affaires Culturelles, 1970), cat. no. 60.
3 Galerie Hopkins-Custot was founded in 1984 by Waring Hopkins and Stéphane Custot.
4 According to Anisabelle Berès, Maurice Denis, 1870-1943 (Paris: Huguette Berès, 1992), cat. no. 24.
Citations
Lefevre Galleries, London. Vuillard Et Son Kodak. [Exposition] March 5-26. [London]: Lefevre Gallery, 1964. Mentioned: P. 13, no. 28
Musée de l'Orangerie, Maurice Denis, and Anne Distel. Maurice Denis. Orangerie des Tuileries, 3 juin-31 août 1970. Paris, France: Ministère d'État, Affaires culturelles, 1970. Mentioned: no. 60
Maurice Denis. Gemälde, Handzeichnungen, Druckgraphik. Meisterwerke des Nachimpressionismus aus der Sammlung Maurice Denis. (Ausstellung,) Kunsthaus Zürich, 29. Jan-12. März 1972. (Katalog.). Zürich, 1972. Mentioned: P. 41, no. 39
Berès, Anisabelle. Maurice Denis, 1870-1943. Paris, France: Huguette Berès, 1992. Mentioned: no. 24
Musée des Beaux-Arts, Wallraf-Richartz Museum, Walker Art Gallery, Van Gogh Museum. Maurice Denis, 1870-1943. Lyon: Réunion des Musées Nationaux, 1994. Mentioned and Reproduced: P. 133, no. 14
Cogeval, Guy, Claire Frèches-Thory, and Gilles Genty. Il tempo dei Nabis: Bonnard, Vuillard, Maurice Denis, Vallotton, Sérusier, Ranson, Roussel. Firenze: Artificio, 1998. Reproduced: P. 60; Mentioned: P. 182, no. 19
Exhibition history

Maurice Denis. Orangerie des Tulleries, Paris, France (June 3-13, 1970).

Maurice Denis. Kunsthalle Bremen, Bremen, Germany; Kunsthaus Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Staten Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen, Denmark (1971-1972).

Maurice Denis. Huguett Beres, Paris, France (1992).

Maurice Denis. Musee des Beaux-Arts, Lyon, France (September 29-December 18, 1994); Wallraf-Richartz Museum, Cologne, Germany (January 22-February 4, 1995); Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, United Kingdom (April 21-June 18, 1995).

Impressionism to Modernism: The Keithley Collection. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (September 11, 2022-January 8, 2023).

Source URL: https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2020.108