The Poor Fisherman
A fisherman stands at the front of his boat, with his arms folded, as if in prayer, under a grey sky. A mother and a naked child gather dandelions on the sparse shore behind him. It is unclear whether the child will be fed or has already starved. This canvas is one of Puvis's most well-known works and offers a glimpse into his personal psychology, displaying a private mood that is rarely shown in his large-scale paintings. The painting was developed over several years through sketches and painted studies and executed during a personally challenging time for the artist.
After the success of his first murals in Paris in 1878, Puvis was anxious about his future prospects and the amount of artistic freedom he would have. When he showed this work at the Salon of 1881, Puvis indicated that he wanted it to be regarded in "human, natural terms," with no religious, mystical, or philosophical symbolism. In European art, paintings of fishing often had Christian overtones, and Puvis had created such pictures before (such as Miraculous Draught of Fishes and The Fisherman). By insisting that there was no such symbolism in this work, Puvis introduced an element of realism without losing the attention of an audience accustomed to viewing religious subjects.
Puvis had reservations about showing this work at the Salon of 1881, as it departed considerably in both subject matter and style from his earlier triumphs. Conservative critics criticized it, taking issue with the lack of traditional proportion and shading. However, it won him the respect of a new group of admirers, including Georges Seurat and Paul Signac, who championed the work and referenced it in later writing. Maurice Denis specifically admired the work and called for a new type of painting in his publication "Definition of Neo-Traditionalism." Interestingly, Aristide Maillol executed a direct copy of this work, despite being a sculptor, printmaker, and sculptor-painter.
