Breton Women At A Wall 1892

Emile Bernard created this painting of Breton women, using oil on canvas. The way the paint is applied is crucial to the image's overall effect. Notice the flat, simplified forms and bold outlines, a technique known as cloisonnism. This approach to painting flattens the picture plane and emphasizes the decorative quality of the canvas, reminiscent of stained glass. The subject matter, too, speaks to a certain kind of labor. Bernard depicts women in traditional Breton clothing, suggesting a connection to the rural and labor-intensive culture of Brittany. This was a deliberate choice, reflective of a desire to get away from urban, industrial life. There is a huge amount of work involved in keeping traditional ways of life going, and Bernard seems to have been drawn to that fact. By looking closely at the materiality and making of this painting, we begin to understand not just what it depicts, but also the values it embodies, questioning conventional distinctions between art and craft.