Ever since studying nineteenth century French artist Paul Gauguin at OCAD University I have always wanted to visit Brittany. The rugged landscape in his paintings of Breton life and in particular, Spring Awakening, from his Pont-Aven period piqued my curiosity. I went to Brittany hoping to find the traditional Breton costume that he depicted in Vision of the Sermon and to experience the Cotê Sauvage. 

When Gauguin arrived in Pont-Aven for the first time in 1886, it was already a popular artist retreat. He met artists Paul Laval, Émile Bernard and Paul Sérusier, artists who were later to form part of the Nabis group. 

It's difficult to imagine, but the artists  found the need to escape the bustle of this coastal town and moved to the quieter Le Pouldu, east of Pont-Aven.

Surely Pont-Aven was a lot more peaceful than it is today. Art tourists that follow French art history combined with American art history lovers seeking the colony of American painters that arrived before Gauguin in 1866, crowded the streets. 

The tiny Musée de Pont-Aven, that documents the town’s history and its collection of paintings by the Pont-Aven School, plays above its weight class and is worth the time to visit. Luckily I got to visit the musée because it is now closed until the end of 2014.  http://www.museepontaven.fr/

I did not see the traditional Breton costume of starched white headdresses and collars, worn with long plain dark dresses. I was there too early in August for the  traditional end of harvest celebrations where the costume might still be worn. 

Top to Bottom: Pont-Aven galleries

Top to Bottom Le Pouldu: rue du Port, giant pushpin traffic barriers, Hotel du Pouldu, artist atelier

Top to Bottom: Presqu’ île de Quiberon and Cotê Sauvage 

Traditional Breton Costume

Harvest begins, Brittany Flag