Artwork
Study for "Breton Women at a Pardon"
Study for "Breton Women at a Pardon" is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Pascal-Adolphe-Jean Dagnan-Bouveret. It dates from 1887 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Technique & Style
Its compositional study phase reveals underdrawing and adjustments, offering insight into Dagnan-Bouveret’s preparatory process for larger narrative works.
Pascal-Adolphe-Jean Dagnan-Bouveret painted Study for "Breton Women at a Pardon" in 1887 using oil on wood panel. The work measures 39.37 cm in height by 44.45 cm in width, reflecting his academic realist technique and precise draftsmanship characteristic of late 19th-century French painting. Currently held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., it was acquired in 2014 from the Corcoran Gallery of Art’s bequest collection.
The painting demonstrates careful handling of light and texture, with layered glazes creating depth in the figures’ clothing and landscape. Its compositional study phase reveals underdrawing and adjustments, offering insight into Dagnan-Bouveret’s preparatory process for larger narrative works.
History & Provenance
The work was painted in 1887 by Pascal-Adolphe-Jean Dagnan-Bouveret. It entered the collection of William A. Clark in New York and was bequeathed by him in 1926 to the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it was catalogued as _After Church in the Fields_. In 2014 the Corcoran Gallery’s holdings were transferred to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., where the painting remains.
The work is currently held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., having been acquired by the institution in 2014. Prior to this transfer, the painting was part of the Corcoran Gallery of Art's collection, where it was held as a bequest from William A. Clark in 1926. During its tenure at the Corcoran, the piece was cataloged under the title After Church in the Fields.
The National Gallery of Art maintains the inventory for this 1887 oil on wood study following its 2014 accession.
Overview
Pascal‑Adolphe‑Jean Dagnan‑Bouveret produced this oil on wood around 1887 as a preparatory study for a larger composition depicting a Breton religious ceremony. The work captures a moment of quiet observation among villagers gathered in a rural landscape.
Subject & Meaning
A cluster of women seated on the grass, each shaded by a wide white hat, dominate the foreground. They hold baskets and appear at ease, while a few men stand nearby, observing the scene. In the background, grazing sheep and a distant church tower suggest a communal pilgrimage or pardon.
Context
During the 1880s, French painters frequently turned to provincial life for subject matter, seeking authenticity in rural rituals. Dagnan‑Bouveret’s focus on Breton attire and religious gatherings reflects this broader trend toward naturalism and ethnographic observation.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Pascal-Adolphe-Jean Dagnan-Bouveret
Pascal-Adolphe-Jean Dagnan-Bouveret (1887–1887) was an artist.
