Seiz Breur

The movement of the Seiz Breur is a movement created by a phalange of Breton artists between the two world wars. Although placed under an invocation symbolic system ( seiz bror = seven brothers into Breton), it was presented as a union by co-optation which did not gather more than 50 artists under the Breton name of “Unvaniezh Seiz Breur” (Union of the Seven brothers). This movement is an initiator of the modern celto-Breton art, and whose influence is always felt today in the Breton culture.

Origin of the movement

It is a woman, the graveuse one and decorator, Jeanne Malivel (1895-1926), early missing, which played a big role in the foundation relayed then by the architect James Bouillé and the painter and engraver Rene-Yves Creston, like his wife Suzanne Creston. These three Breton young people artists in decorative arts, meet in 1923 with the forgiveness of the Folgoët, and decide to work together with the creation of a modern Breton art, combining best tradition with the contemporary needs.

The name that they choose Ar Seiz Breur ( the seven brothers ) refers to a tale Gallo, collected and illustrated by Jeanne Malivel which reports an initially unhappy history where naivety and the lightness generate a tragedy but where, then, the purity of the intentions and the acceptance of the sufferings lead to the redemption, is a prelude to with a rebirth incarnated by seven children.

Source of the step, artistic plurality

It is based on the observation of the stagnation of traditional Breton art, so rich in the past, solidifying in the repetition of tested receipts, to which one finds various reasons:

Diffusion by the media of a " nouvelle" culture different from that of Brittany, thus

the statues style “Holy Sulpice “détrônaient in the churches the old polychrome statues out of wooden, the reasons for embroidery of the Parisian newspapers replaced the traditional drawings on the costumes.

Diffusion of tourism in Brittany and maintenance of commonplaces, whose Theodore Botrel is the Archétype: Biniouserie (of earthenware to the postcard, while passing by the carved pieces of furniture, or with the traditional costume)
War memorials 1914-1918 standardized (choice on catalog of the monument, hairy or French cockerel, in an often doubtful style, and badly adapted to local architecture, that to request the know-how of the local stone mason).

For the three creators of Seiz Breur, Breton art must be the expression of its alive heart, i.e. in situation of evolution, and not a catalog of old works. It aims to plurality of the disciplines and the techniques and with the renewal of the Breton artistic expression:

the arts illustrated by Seiz Breur: structure - craft industry - decoration - literature - music - painting - sculpture
engraving on wood, earthenware, sandstone, stained glass, sculpture, ironwork, cabinet work, embroidery, weaving, fresco, illustration, typography, etc,
use of new materials, the such concrete, or of the technique news, the such photocollage or the cinema.
use of various modes of diffusion: book with the postcard, while passing by the stamp, the calendar, the jewel, the piece of furniture, the embroidered cushion, the coffee cup or the poster.
production of embroidered banners, earthenware statuettes, clothing and liturgical objects of Breton nature “ ” to make stopping with art sulpician.

Their currency:

Netra Na den not to vir ouzimp kerzout war-of the rear pal
Avel a-dreñv, avel have-Ben, Seiz Breur, war-eeun!

That is to say:

Nothing nor nobody will prevent us from going towards the but
Back wind, wind upright, Seiz Breur, straight!

Members

Among the important names, one raises:

Paul Ladmirault and Paul Flem, both musicians
the engraver and novelist Xavier de Langlais (Langleiz)
the sculptors Rafig Tullou and Yann Narrow part
the embroiderer and sculptor Jorj Robin
the designer of haute couture Val Riou
the illustrator Robert Micheau-Vernez
the cabinetmaker Joseph Savina
the architect James Boil
the sculptor Jules-Charles Bozec
the illustrator Pierre Péron
the writer G. Berthou Kerverziou
them editors Herry Caouissin and Ronan Caouissin, the writer Jeanne Coroller-Danio
the publicity agent and novelist Youenn Drezen
the professor of the Art schools Morvan Marchal, creator of the modern Breton flag (Flag Gwenn ha Of the)
the architect Olier Mordrel
the violin maker Dorig Voyer, the type-setter Jef Penven
the teacher Yann Sohier, and Marc' harid Gourlaouen, promoter of the teaching of the Breton
the illustrator Xavier Haas

and Georges Arnoux, Octave-Louis Aubert, Andre Batillat, Yves Berthou, Yvette Brelet, Suzanne Creston, Reun Kreston, Edmond Derrouch, Fañch Elies (Abeozen), Jean Fréour, Jean Guinard, Marguerite Houel, German Jouan, Roger Kervran, Marcel Louet, Christian the Share, Governed of Estourbeillon, Madeleine Lizer, Edouard Mahé, Jeanne Malivel, Jean Mazuet, Jacques Motheau, Michael O' Farrel, Francis Pilgrim, Charles Penther, François Planeix, Yann Robert, Georges Rual, Rene Salaün, Rene Salmon of Godelinais, Gaston Sébilleau,…

Sources of inspiration

mythology Celtic, as well Irish as Welsh
the Celtic traditional thought, the druidism
the legendary Breton one, such topics of Brocéliande, the Cycle arthurien, or topics popular like the Ankou
the History of Brittany
the Religion (scenes of forgiveness or Pilgrimage S, Life of the traditional saints, and " fondateurs" Celtic world)
the daily life (traditional topics of the rural or maritime life)

Chronology

Seiz Breur were made known by the Parisian exposures of 1925 and of 1937 or the houses of the Brittany enabled them to present parts decorated according to a Celtic, but stripped style of inspiration.

1923 : Artistic beginning of collaboration.
1925 : Participation in the Exposure of decorative Arts in Paris, in the title of the section of the Coast-of-North with the collaboration of various artists and Breton craftsmen, all confused disciplines.
1926 : Died of Jeanne Malivel.
1928 : Launching of the illustrated review Kornog ( Occident ) in which the members of Seiz Breur exposes their theories. The group becomes Unvaniez Seiz Breur .
1929 : Exposure of Breton art of Seiz Breur to Douarnenez.
1931 : The review Keltia replaces Kornog.
1937 : Seiz Breur carry out the essence of the House of Brittany, World Fair of Paris.
1939 : Mobilization of many members for the war.
1940 : Program of Seiz Breur in a proclamation in 13 points.
1940 - 1944: Dispersion of the members during the war. Exposures to Rennes or Paris under the name of Eost Breiziz ( Breton harvest ).
1944 : Xavier de Langlais replaces Rene-Yves Creston with the presidency of the group.
1947 - 1948: More activity as a group (last secretary Rafig Tullou).

Discusses

In 1942 it is the birth of the Celtic Institut, which gathers members of Seiz Breur and various personalities of the Breton life. Part of the artists pass from the “ neither red nor white, Breton only ” with collaboration whereas others resist, which reflects the company of the time: on the one hand collaborators, on the other hand the resistant ones and others more passive. Political dissensions brought the end of the union in 1944. With the Release, although some artists were the resistant ones, Ar Seiz Breur, like the whole of the Breton Mouvement, is discredited, and their history is completed in 1947.

It will be also reproached the Advisory committee with the Breton identity of the town hall of Rennes, a traditional exposition in Seiz Breur in 2000 - 2001 with the Musée of Brittany because of this ambiguity. However, it was not more mentioned resistant past of certain members, like Gaston Sébilleau or André Batillat.

Note

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