Laval, Charles (1861-1894)
Allant au marché (Going to Market, Brittany)
1888
Oil on canvas, 37.5 x 46 cm
Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indianapolis
The Pont-Aven artists often painted aspects of daily life in Brittany. In this animated scene, a couple rides to market in a wagon, as strong winds lift the woman’s white collar and threaten to toss the bystander’s hat. Laval painted this image during the pivotal summer of 1888, when Gauguin and Bernard developed their Pont-Aven style. The arbitrary use of bright red and green in the flattened background, and the dark borders outlining the figures, demonstrate his mastery of their new decorative approach. (IMA)