French Literature Reviews - 2026
C. Dessy, Les Écrivains et les Nabis. La Littérature au défi de la peinture
Art and Visual Culture
Review published in Acta Fabula (September 2015, vol. 16, no. 6): "Reading & Rereading, Seeing & Reviewing: Relational & Aesthetic Networks of Writers & Synthetist Nabis" by Hélène Heyraud.
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Clément Dessy, Les Écrivains et les Nabis. La Littérature au défi de la peinture
With a preface by Patrick McGuinness.
Presses Universitaires de Rennes, 2015.
282 p.
EAN 9782753536173
29,00 EUR
Publisher's overview:
Clément Dessy demonstrates how the close ties between the Nabis and the literary world (Jules Renard, Alfred Jarry, André Gide, etc.) enabled them to make their mark through book illustration and the renewal of theatrical staging. In turn, this experience transformed certain writers' conceptions of their own art. Richly illustrated with works by the Nabis (Pierre Bonnard, Maurice Denis, Félix Vallotton, Edouard Vuillard, etc.), this large-format volume traces the encounter between literature and painting at the end of the 19th century, drawing upon a wealth of documentary sources.
Table of contents:
- The Literary Presence of the Nabis
- The Allure of Novelty
- Rethinking the Relationship Between Painters and Writers
- Connecting Diversity
- Seeing Through Writing
- Showing One's True Colors
- Weaving the Arabesque
- The Decorative Rhythm
Clément Dessy is a research associate at the FNRS and lecturer at the Université libre de Bruxelles. Co-director of the journal COnTEXTES, he is currently preparing an edition of Fernand Khnopff's writings and continuing research begun at the University of Oxford on literary and artistic ties between Belgium and Great Britain. With degrees in literature and art history, his research interests include the social history of literature, interactions between the arts and literature, and international cultural transfers.
The late nineteenth century witnessed intense exchanges between visual artists and literary figures, as painters and writers sought new modes of expression across traditional disciplinary boundaries. The Nabis, a group of post-impressionist artists including Pierre Bonnard, Maurice Denis, Félix Vallotton, and Edouard Vuillard, engaged deeply with contemporary culture. This artistic milieu frequently crossed paths with prominent writers like Jules Renard, Alfred Jarry, and André Gide, fostering a collaborative cultural environment that manifested in publications, book illustrations, and theatrical productions.
Readers interested in the intersections of visual culture and literature at the turn of the twentieth century may find this volume relevant. The page notes that close ties with the literary world enabled painters to establish their presence through illustration and stage design, while simultaneously influencing how writers conceptualized their own artistic practices. Drawing upon documentary sources, the study examines the multifaceted relationships that defined this period of aesthetic interaction between painting and letters.