Maurice Denis collectionneur : Bonnard, Gauguin, Sérusier...

Exhibition at Musée départemental Maurice Denis, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, 7 May 2026 – 31 January 2027

A painter and art theorist, Maurice Denis (1870–1943) was also a discerning collector, much like Claude Monet and Paul Signac. From Paul Gauguin to Vincent van Gogh, and from Paul Cézanne to Odilon Redon, over the course of his life he managed to assemble a collection of works by the greatest artists of his time, offering a unique insight into the history of the avant-garde movements at the turn of the 20th century. His circle of the Nabis naturally occupies a central place in the collection, notably featuring Pierre Bonnard, Aristide Maillol, Paul-Élie Ranson, Paul Sérusier, Jan Verkade and Édouard Vuillard.

Based on research by leading specialists, this exhibition catalogue presents a selection of the paintings, sculptures and graphic works collected by Maurice Denis, from his early years to his mature period, contextualised within the artist’s own interiors, where his own creations engaged in dialogue with those of his masters, friends and pupils. The book offers a remarkable return to photographic and archival sources, many of which have never before been published.