The Talisman
| Support Type: | Wood Panel |
| Paint Type: | Oil Paint |
| Current Location: | Musée d\'Orsay, Paris |
| Location History: | The painting was first held in Maurice Denis’s own collection, given to him directly by the artist. It then passed to the Boulet-Denis collection in Clermont (Oise), before moving to the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Jean-Francois Denis in Alencon. In 1985, it was acquired by the National Museums with generous support from Philippe Meyer through the Lutèce Foundation, following a formal process (committee approval on 23 May 1985, council approval on 29 May 1985, and a decree on 3 June 1985). That same year, it was assigned to the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, where it remains today. |
Painted in 1888 in Pont-Aven, “The Talisman” is the most celebrated work of Paul Serusier. Serusier painted this masterpiece under the guidance of Paul Gauguin. This is evident from the handwritten inscription present on the backside of the panel. A key member of the Nabis group, Serusier is often regarded as a forerunner of abstract art, someone who pushed painting a step closer to it well before the term existed. “The Talisman” is a perfect example of this radical move away from realism. Unlike the Impressionists, the stress is placed on mood and sensitivity rather than capturing fleeting moments or photographic realism. The story behind the painting is almost as important as the painting itself. Gauguin reportedly told Serusier to stop copying exactly what he saw and instead paint the trees, water, and shadows in pure, exaggerated color. This advice was taken seriously by Serusier, who painted what he felt and not what he literally saw. When Serusier brought the small wooden panel back to Paris and showed it to his classmates at the Academie Julian, they were struck enough to give it its name, treating it almost like a sacred object. It hung afterward in their meeting space, which they nicknamed “The Temple,” and this small painting effectively became the founding image around which the Nabis group formed. However, what’s interesting is that this particular painting stands apart from the rest of their work. Serusier’s piece was never meant to be a grand artistic statement, yet it went on to shape an entire movement.
Sources: