The Nabis group of artists was founded in 1888/1889 by a rebellious group of young art students at the Académie Julian in Paris and existed until 1905. Its leader, Paul Sérusier, belonged to the circle around Paul Gauguin and came from the Pont-Aven school. The artists' group is classified as Post-Impressionist.
The name Nabi is derived from the Hebrew word for prophet, the term was coined by Henri Cazalis.
1888-1905
Nabis
The members of the group became known for their novel pictorial compositions and the variety of media they used. In addition to painting and sculpture, they also worked with printing techniques, poster design, book illustrations, textiles, furniture and stage sets. Furthermore, they were influential as illustrators in the field of graphic art. Some of the Nabis were inspired by Japanese woodblock prints.
Similar to contemporary Art nouveau, some of the Nabis emphasised design. Both groups were also associated with Symbolism through some of their representatives. The artists' group published their artistic aims mainly in the magazine La Revue blanche.
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