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Student Artwork Guide

A Widow

Name Class Date

Paul Sérusier, A Widow (1919). Public domain. See this canvas under a moving light: the drawing, the true colour under the varnish, the bare pigment

The facts

Artist
Paul Sérusier originaluniqueart.com/en/artists/paul-serusier/
Artist’s dates
1864 – 1927
Painted
1919
Original size
92 x 71 cm
Movement
Synthetism

In context

A Widow — Paul Sérusier

How big is it?

The original measures 92 × 71 cm (height × width), drawn here beside an adult of average height.

When was this painted?

  1. 1860
  2. 1870
  3. 1880
  4. 1890
  5. 1900
  6. 1910
  7. 1920

Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 63 at death.

Painted when the artist was 55. The artist lived to 63. 116 of the 124 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.

Shaded: the lifetime of Paul Sérusier (1864–1927) ▲ this work, 1919 every dated painting, decade by decade

First works: up to 1890 Main working years: 1890–1906 Late works: from 1906

Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them

Compare with

Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.

More works to set beside this one: originaluniqueart.com/en/art/similar/paul-serusier-a-widow-8YE8YX-en/

Colours

Measured from the image

    Main colour

    Sap Green #65653e

    Catalogued palette

    • #65653E
    • #454533
    • #27251E
    • #AE905A

    These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour

    Main colour name
    Sap Green
    Intensity
    Balanced How saturated and varied the colours are, from a single toned-down hue to many bright ones.
    Contrast
    Gentle How much the colours differ in lightness and saturation across the picture.
    Harmony
    Strong Color Unity How well the colours work together, from clashing to fully unified.
    Brightness
    Shadow How light or dark the picture reads overall, from deep shadow to bright highlight.
    Saturation
    Subtle Color How pure and strong the colours are, from near-grey to fully vivid.

    Where in the world is this painting looked at?

    • under 1%
    • 1–3%
    • 3–8%
    • 8–20%
    • 20% and over
    This painting alone has too few recorded visitors to map, so the plate reads every work by Paul Sérusier over the last twelve months — 13 countries in all. Where these figures come from

    The ten leading countries

    1. 1 China 70.2%
    2. 2 United States of America 10.6%
    3. 3 France 4.8%
    4. 4 Singapore 3.8%
    5. 5 Hong Kong 2.9%
    6. 6 Austria 1.0%
    7. 7 Belgium 1.0%
    8. 8 Canada 1.0%
    9. 9 Germany 1.0%
    10. 10 Spain 1.0%
    11. · 3 other countries 2.7%

    Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.

    The 20 most looked-at works by Paul Sérusier

    1. 1 Still Life with Corn and Tomatoes, 1921 4.5%
    2. 2 Avenue de Neuilly 3.6%
    3. 3 Susanna and the Elders 3.6%
    4. 4 End of the day, 1893 2.7%
    5. 5 Fisherman on the Laita, 1890 2.7%
    6. 6 The Talisman, 1888 2.7%
    7. 7 La colline aux platanes, 1907 2.7%
    8. 8 Apple Harvest, 1891 2.7%
    9. 9 La Guirlande de roses, 1898 2.7%
    10. 10 Celtic Tale, 1894 1.8%
    11. 11 Colour Wheel 1.8%
    12. 12 Portrait of Paul Ranson, 1890 1.8%
    13. 13 Breton woman going to the washing place, 1890 1.8%
    14. 14 The Breton Weaver, 1888 1.8%
    15. 15 The Fairy and the Knight, 1912 1.8%
    16. 16 A Widow, 1919 this painting 1.8%
    17. 17 Still Life with Fruit and a Pitcher, 1913 1.8%
    18. 18 Portrait of Paul Ranson Dressed as a Prophet, 1890 1.8%
    19. 19 The Wall, 1890 1.8%
    20. 20 The Youth of Queen Anne, 1904 1.8%

    Together these works take 47.7% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 177 works by this artist, of which 75 were looked at at least once. This painting ranks 16 of them, with 1.8% of that attention. The same counts, month by month

    Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.

    About this artwork

    A Widow — Paul Sérusier

    The painting A Widow by Paul Serusier is a beautiful representation of a woman in mourning, created in 1919. This oil on canvas piece is a prime example of the Synthetism style, characterized by the use of bold colors and geometric shapes. The painting features a woman wearing a blue dress with a white collar, sitting on the grass in a field or garden setting, surrounded by trees and bushes.

    Artistic Background

    Paul Serusier was a French painter and pioneer of abstract art, who left an indelible mark on the world of Synthetism and Cloisonnism. His work, such as A Widow, is a testament to his innovative style and artistic vision. The painting is characterized by its harmonious composition, with the woman as the focal point surrounded by elements that create depth and interest in the scene.

    The Dayton Art Institute is a museum that features an impressive collection of over 27,000 works spanning 5,000 years, including paintings by Paul Serusier. The museum's collection includes a range of styles and periods, from ancient to modern art. Some notable works include The Times and Celtic Tale, both by Paul Serusier.

    The painting A Widow is a beautiful representation of a woman in mourning

    The painting features a woman wearing a blue dress with a white collar, sitting on the grass in a field or garden setting

    The painting is characterized by its harmonious composition, with the woman as the focal point surrounded by elements that create depth and interest in the scene

    The Paul Serusier style is characterized by the use of Synthetism, which emphasizes the use of bold colors and geometric shapes. His paintings, such as The Fern Harvesters in the Boid d'Amour at Pont Aven, are a testament to his innovative style and artistic vision. For more information on Paul Serusier and his work, visit AllPaintingsStore.com.

    Artist and museum

    Artist

    Paul Sérusier

    Born in Paris, France

    early life and education

    paul sérusier, a french painter, was born on november 9, 1864, in paris. he studied at the académie julian, where he became a monitor in the mid-1880s. this marked the beginning of his artistic journey, which would eventually lead him to pioneer abstract art and inspire the avant-garde nabis movement, synthetism, and cloisonnism.

    artistic career

    in the summer of 1888, sérusier traveled to pont-aven, where he joined a small group of artists centered around paul gauguin. under gauguin's close supervision, sérusier painted "the talisman," an extreme exercise in cloisonnism that approximated pure abstraction. this piece showcased his innovative style and willingness to experiment with new techniques. as a post-impressionist painter, sérusier was part of the group les nabis, alongside pierre bonnard, édouard vuillard, and maurice denis. although not as widely recognized as some of his peers, sérusier's contributions to the development of abstract art are undeniable.

    notable works and legacy

    some of sérusier's notable works include:

    l'averse (1893), musée d'orsay, paris

    portrait of paul ranson (1890), musée d'orsay, paris

    melancholy (1890)

    the snake eaters (1894), muzeum narodowe, warsaw

    sérusier's later years saw him teaching at the académie ranson and publishing his book "abc de la peinture" in 1921. he passed away on october 7, 1927, in morlaix.

    artistic movement and influence

    sérusier's work was influenced by cloisonnism, a style characterized by bold and flat forms separated by dark contours. this movement, which emerged in the late 19th century, played a significant role in shaping the development of modern art.

    explore more on cloisonnism: the cloisonnism art movement

    discover sérusier's work: paul serusier | AllPaintingsStore.com

    learn about the nabis movement: the nabis art movement

    key takeaways: * paul sérusier was a french painter who pioneered abstract art and inspired the nabis movement. he studied at the académie julian and later taught at the académie ranson. sérusier's work was influenced by cloisonnism, a style characterized by bold and flat forms.

    Where to read more

    Find this online

    QR code linking to the download page for A Widow

    originaluniqueart.com/en/art/download/paul-serusier-a-widow-8YE8YX-en/

    Cite this artwork

    MLA
    Sérusier, Paul. A Widow. 1919, https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/paul-serusier-a-widow-8YE8YX-en/
    APA
    Sérusier, Paul (1919). A Widow [Painting]. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/paul-serusier-a-widow-8YE8YX-en/
    Chicago
    Paul Sérusier. A Widow. 1919. https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/paul-serusier-a-widow-8YE8YX-en/
    Harvard
    Sérusier, Paul (1919) A Widow. Available at: https://originaluniqueart.com/en/art/paul-serusier-a-widow-8YE8YX-en/

    Look closely

    A Widow — Paul Sérusier

    Look closely

    Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.

    1. What catches your eye first, and why?
    2. Which colours or shapes create the mood — and what is that mood?
    3. How many faces can you find? ____ (our catalogue counts 1 — do you agree?)
    4. Our catalogue files this work under: woman in mourning, lush landscape, geometric forms. Do you agree? What would you add, or take away?
    5. Look back at Portrait of Paul Ranson (1890), earlier in this guide. Name two things it shares with this work, and one that is different.

    Your response

    Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.

    Questions & Answers

    Who created "A Widow" and what style is it in?

    Paul Sérusier created "A Widow" within the Synthetism movement.

    How do I discover artworks close to "A Widow" by Paul Sérusier?

    The Similars page of "A Widow" by Paul Sérusier presents related artworks.

    How much light do the colors of "A Widow" appear to reflect?

    The colors of "A Widow" show a dark luminance.