Artwork
Synchromy in Yellow
Synchromy in Yellow is an oil painting by Paul Sérusier. It dates from 1915 and is held in the collection of the Norton Simon Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1915, this oil on canvas by Paul Sérusier presents a tranquil rural scene bathed in a dominant yellow hue. The composition balances a modest foreground of grasses and low plants with a distant line of trees and a gentle hillside, establishing a sense of spacious calm that is reinforced by the warm tonal palette.
Subject & Meaning
The work portrays a quiet field where a few trees stand amid scattered animals, suggesting a pastoral setting untouched by human activity. The pervasive yellow light evokes the atmosphere of a sunlit afternoon, inviting contemplation of the landscape’s simple, unhurried rhythm and the soothing effect of natural light.
Technique & Style
Sérusier employs soft, blended brushstrokes that dissolve edges, lending the scene an almost dreamlike quality reminiscent of early twentieth‑century impressionism. The handling of color emphasizes tonal harmony over precise detail, allowing the yellow wash to unify the composition while subtle variations in hue suggest depth and atmospheric perspective.
History & Provenance
The painting entered the collection of the Norton Simon Museum, where it remains on display. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s focus on early modern French art and contributes to the representation of Sérusier’s later period, a time when his work shifted toward more lyrical, color‑driven landscapes.
Artist & collection
Artist
Paul Sérusier was a French painter who was a pioneer of abstract art and an inspiration for the avant-garde Nabis movement, Synthetism and Cloisonnism.
