Artwork Description

Title:Nudi Con Leone

Artist
Paul Élie Ranson

Date
1890

Medium:
Oil on canvas

Dimensions
28.3 x 35.4 in (72 x 90 cm)

1. Artwork Identification
Nudi Con Leone is a richly composed oil on canvas by French Nabi artist Paul Élie Ranson, dated circa 1890. This lush and symbolically charged composition depicts two nude female figures reclining near a vibrant lily pond in a fantastical garden setting. Surrounded by tropical flora and crowned by a lavish floral arrangement, the central scene evokes both mythological undertones and the decorative ethos of Ranson’s late 19th-century aesthetic. The work is executed in vivid greens, reds, and blues, and showcases Ranson’s stylized approach to form and color. The painting is housed in a period frame and is in very good condition.

2. Artistic Style and Influences
A founding member of Les Nabis, Paul Élie Ranson championed an artistic style that fused the painterly freedom of Post-Impressionism with the spiritual and symbolic richness of Art Nouveau, Japanese woodcuts, and medieval art. His works are noted for their flat planes of color, ornamental line, and often esoteric or mythological subject matter. Nudi Con Leone exemplifies these hallmarks, presenting a sensuous yet dreamlike tableau in which nature, femininity, and mysticism intertwine. The palette and figuration recall the influence of Paul Gauguin, while the stylized vegetation and flattened perspective suggest Japonisme and decorative design.

3. Historical Context
Created during the height of the Nabi movement, Nudi Con Leone reflects a period of artistic rebellion and renewal in fin-de-siècle Paris. The Nabis rejected academic naturalism in favor of symbolism, emotion, and synthesis of the arts. Ranson, educated at the École des Arts Décoratifs and Académie Julian, was instrumental in shaping the group’s philosophy and aesthetic. In 1890, the year this work is believed to have been painted, the Nabis had begun to assert their unique visual language, merging modernist experimentation with spiritual and decorative ideals. Ranson’s studio not only served as the group’s creative hub but also as a fertile ground for intellectual and artistic exchange.

4. Provenance
Provenance documentation can be provided upon contact.

5. Condition and Conservation
The painting is in very good condition. The canvas is stable and the surface displays no significant signs of craquelure or paint loss. Colors remain vibrant and the work presents well in its period frame.

6. Artistic Significance
Paul Élie Ranson occupies a distinctive place in the history of modern art, straddling the divide between Symbolism, Post-Impressionism, and decorative art. As both a painter and co-founder of the Académie Ranson, he significantly influenced early 20th-century modernism. Nudi Con Leone exemplifies Ranson’s exploration of myth, sensuality, and nature through a stylized, ornamental lens. The painting’s visual opulence and emblematic resonance make it a compelling example of the Nabi ethos and a significant work within Ranson’s oeuvre. It is a rare opportunity to acquire a piece that embodies the poetic and transformative spirit of the French avant-garde at the turn of the century.