Les Jardins D’armide, Esquisse 1908

Maurice Denis painted this oil on canvas sketch of Les Jardins d’Armide, at a time when Europe was on the cusp of immense social and political change. Denis, a devout Catholic, was committed to the revival of religious art and tradition in France. Here we see a group of women in a sun-drenched garden, their bodies soft and idealized. While the painting is titled 'The Gardens of Armida', a sorceress from a 16th-century Italian epic poem, the scene feels strikingly modern. What are we to make of these figures? Denis, along with other artists of the Nabis group, sought to move beyond Impressionism, to explore spiritual and emotional states through simplified forms and vibrant colors. This artwork invites us to reflect on the relationship between mythology, femininity, and the shifting cultural landscape of early 20th-century France, offering an intimate glimpse into a world of beauty and contemplation.