After brilliant studies at the Lycée Condorcet, Maurice Denis enrolled in 1888 at the Académie Julian to prepare for the entrance exam for the Beaux-Arts—where he would not stay. The artistic environment at Julian was much more stimulating. There, he joined a small group formed by Paul Sérusier, Pierre Bonnard, Edouard Vuillard, Félix Vallotton, and Paul Ranson.

Sérusier spent the summer with Gauguin in Pont-Aven, and upon returning to Paris, he shared the master's ideas with his friends. The Nabi group was born. Nearly two years later, on August 23 and 30, 1890, Denis published a kind of manifesto, La Définition du néo-traditionnisme, which includes the often-quoted definition: "Remember that a painting, before being a horse, a nude woman, or any anecdote, is essentially a flat surface covered with colors arranged in a certain order." However, Maurice Denis never ceased to immerse himself in the tradition and the art of the ancients. He held a particular admiration for the Italian Primitives—especially Fra Angelico, the Ingristes, as well as Puvis de Chavannes and Cézanne. For Denis, tradition is not a burden but a true promise.

The renewal of tradition, therefore, constitutes a real alternative to the modernity of the "avant-gardes." This modern artist has become a key figure in the history of art. His works are now found in the greatest museums, and they are also very popular at auctions.

Valuations and appraisals for the artist Maurice Denis