French Brittany in the Fine Arts (Second Half of the 19th — Early 20th Centuries) and the Problems of Forming the Identity of the Bretons

Abstract

The article examines the role of art in shaping an image of the people, using the Bretons of France as an example. The interest of professional artists who chose Brittany in the second half of the 19th century and early 20th century led to the creation of hundreds of images depicting this French region. Many creative innovations were also realized here (the school of P. Gauguin and his circle).

The methodological basis of the study was a cultural-historical analysis — the study of paintings in the context of their time and the characteristics of the cultural environment, as well as the public resonance they generated; an iconographic method for analyzing the main themes, subjects, and motifs, as well as the nature of the images chosen by the artists to reflect Breton culture.

The author concludes that the interested and sympathetic view of the masters of painting on the natural and historical uniqueness of Brittany and the distinctive culture of the Bretons greatly contributed to the formation of an attractive image of this region and its inhabitants in art during a difficult historical period for the Bretons. This also contributed to attracting public attention to Brittany and became an important stage in the development of the identity of the Bretons, the affirmation of the intrinsic value of Breton culture, and the development of new directions in the art of Brittany.

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