Digitalis

A woman stands in the forest, surrounded by plants and trees. The tall, vertically arranged canvas has been created in an extremely decorative composition that fully represents the characteristics of its Nabis painter Ranson. The four sides of the canvas are framed by decorative borders reminiscent of tapestries. It can be imagined that originally this painting was a preparatory work for a tapestry project.

The Nabis painters were highly conscious of the planar nature of paintings and the inherent decorativeness of such planar images. They considered the medieval period and later tapestries to be the best model in creating their works. Digitalis (foxglove), the plant with purplish-red bell-shaped blossoms, grows in large form across the foreground. This plant’s leaves had been known since antiquity as a tonic for the heart. The twining movement of this plant burgeoning with life is a realization of the Nabis’ decorative aesthetic.

In 1895 the Maison de l’Art Nouveau of Siegfried Bing was set up on rue de Provence in Paris. Ranson’s mural series of seven works for the dining room was created as part of the refitting and redecoration of the shop. Ranson also created vitraux and tapestries. During this Maison de l’Art Nouveau period, Ranson’s inclination towards decorative arts, particularly tapestries, increased. He became involved in tapestry production in competition with his friends Maillol and Rippl-R�nai. This work is possibly related to a tapestry project that was never actually realized.