Fine Art Poster
From £28
A giclée print on 200gsm matte fine art paper, using a twelve-colour process for accurate, fade-resistant colour. Supplied unframed, delivered flat or rolled.
Treurende oude vrouwen - Émile Bernard
Regular price
£28.00 GBP
Sale price
£28.00 GBP
Regular price
Archival giclée
Frames arrive ready to hang
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Made to order
Description
A striking woodcut by Émile Bernard, featuring mourning figures rendered in the bold, graphic style of the Cloisonnist movement.
This woodcut by Émile Bernard, titled Treurende oude vrouwen, demonstrates the artist's engagement with the Cloisonnist style. Developed in the late 1880s, this approach is defined by bold, dark outlines that enclose flat areas of colour, a technique inspired by stained glass and Japanese ukiyo-e prints. Bernard, a contemporary of Paul Gauguin, was instrumental in moving away from the naturalistic representation favoured by the Impressionists, opting instead for a more symbolic and graphic visual language.
The composition depicts a group of elderly women gathered in a state of collective grief. Their forms are heavily draped in heavy, angular robes, which serve to emphasise the weight of their sorrow. The stark contrast between the dark, thick lines and the lighter background creates a sense of graphic clarity. The architectural elements in the background, featuring stepped gables, suggest a Northern European setting, perhaps reflecting the artist's interest in the medieval aesthetic. The presence of a small child held by one of the figures adds a layer of vulnerability to the scene, contrasting the fragility of youth with the weathered appearance of the mourning women.
Bernard's use of the woodcut medium is deliberate. The inherent limitations of carving into wood encourage a simplification of form, which aligns with his broader artistic goals during this period. By stripping away unnecessary detail, he focuses the viewer's attention on the emotional posture of the figures and the rhythmic arrangement of their silhouettes. This work is a clear example of the shift towards modernism, where the artist prioritises the expressive potential of line and shape over the accurate depiction of light and atmosphere. The print remains a compelling study of human emotion rendered through a disciplined, graphic lens.
Return policy
Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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We ship worldwide, printing at the production hub nearest to your delivery address. Delivery times and costs vary by destination — you'll see the options available to you at checkout.
Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Complete The Look
Treurende oude vrouwen - Émile Bernard
Regular price
From £28.00 GBP
Sale price
From £28.00 GBP
Regular price
Fine Art Poster / A4 (21x29.7 cm) / -
Artist Biography
Emile Bernard
Bernard invented cloisonnism at twenty and spent the rest of his life arguing about it. The technique, which uses bold flat colours separated by dark outlines (like cloisonne enamel), was developed in 1887 during conversations with Louis Anquetin. When Paul Gauguin arrived at Pont-Aven in Brittany the following year, Bernard shared the method with him. Gauguin adopted it, made it famous, and failed to credit Bernard. The quarrel lasted for decades.
He was raised by his grandmother, who owned a laundry in Lille, because his younger sister was ill and required his parents' full attention. He entered the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris but was expelled for insubordination. At the Academie Cormon he met Toulouse-Lautrec and Van Gogh; his friendship with Van Gogh produced some of the most important letters in art history.
Bernard and Gauguin fell out definitively in 1891 over the paternity of Symbolism and cloisonnism. Bernard believed he had been written out of the story, which he had. He spent years writing criticism and art history to set the record straight, producing first-hand accounts of the period that remain primary sources.
His later work turned conservative. He travelled to Egypt, studied the Old Masters, and repudiated the avant-garde experiments of his youth. The early paintings, made between 1886 and 1897 when he was barely out of his teens, are the ones that matter. He was brilliant too young and spent the rest of his career looking backwards. His correspondence with Van Gogh, preserved and published, is one of the most direct records of how two young painters in the 1880s thought about colour, composition and what painting was for.
He was raised by his grandmother, who owned a laundry in Lille, because his younger sister was ill and required his parents' full attention. He entered the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris but was expelled for insubordination. At the Academie Cormon he met Toulouse-Lautrec and Van Gogh; his friendship with Van Gogh produced some of the most important letters in art history.
Bernard and Gauguin fell out definitively in 1891 over the paternity of Symbolism and cloisonnism. Bernard believed he had been written out of the story, which he had. He spent years writing criticism and art history to set the record straight, producing first-hand accounts of the period that remain primary sources.
His later work turned conservative. He travelled to Egypt, studied the Old Masters, and repudiated the avant-garde experiments of his youth. The early paintings, made between 1886 and 1897 when he was barely out of his teens, are the ones that matter. He was brilliant too young and spent the rest of his career looking backwards. His correspondence with Van Gogh, preserved and published, is one of the most direct records of how two young painters in the 1880s thought about colour, composition and what painting was for.
Our Features
Designed for Lasting Impact
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
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Every piece is printed to order. These are the five finishes, and what makes each one different.
Fine Art Framed
From £45
The same fine art print in a solid wood frame with UV-protective acrylic glaze and rigid backing. Five frame colours. Arrives ready to hang.
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Artist Biography
Émile Bernard
Bernard invented cloisonnism at twenty and spent the rest of his life arguing about it. The technique, which uses bold flat colours separated by dark outlines (like cloisonne enamel), was developed in 1887 during conversations with Louis Anquetin. When Paul Gauguin arrived at Pont-Aven in Brittany the following year, Bernard shared the method with him. Gauguin adopted it, made it famous, and failed to credit Bernard. The quarrel lasted for decades.
He was raised by his grandmother, who owned a laundry in Lille, because his younger sister was ill and required his parents' full attention. He entered the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris but was expelled for insubordination. At the Academie Cormon he met Toulouse-Lautrec and Van Gogh; his friendship with Van Gogh produced some of the most important letters in art history.
Bernard and Gauguin fell out definitively in 1891 over the paternity of Symbolism and cloisonnism. Bernard believed he had been written out of the story, which he had. He spent years writing criticism and art history to set the record straight, producing first-hand accounts of the period that remain primary sources.
His later work turned conservative. He travelled to Egypt, studied the Old Masters, and repudiated the avant-garde experiments of his youth. The early paintings, made between 1886 and 1897 when he was barely out of his teens, are the ones that matter. He was brilliant too young and spent the rest of his career looking backwards. His correspondence with Van Gogh, preserved and published, is one of the most direct records of how two young painters in the 1880s thought about colour, composition and what painting was for.
He was raised by his grandmother, who owned a laundry in Lille, because his younger sister was ill and required his parents' full attention. He entered the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris but was expelled for insubordination. At the Academie Cormon he met Toulouse-Lautrec and Van Gogh; his friendship with Van Gogh produced some of the most important letters in art history.
Bernard and Gauguin fell out definitively in 1891 over the paternity of Symbolism and cloisonnism. Bernard believed he had been written out of the story, which he had. He spent years writing criticism and art history to set the record straight, producing first-hand accounts of the period that remain primary sources.
His later work turned conservative. He travelled to Egypt, studied the Old Masters, and repudiated the avant-garde experiments of his youth. The early paintings, made between 1886 and 1897 when he was barely out of his teens, are the ones that matter. He was brilliant too young and spent the rest of his career looking backwards. His correspondence with Van Gogh, preserved and published, is one of the most direct records of how two young painters in the 1880s thought about colour, composition and what painting was for.
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