Three Bathers

On this painted ceramic plate, three female figures recline and stand in a vibrant, almost abstract landscape. Their bodies, rendered with bold outlines and simplified forms, are bathed in a warm, unmodulated light that suggests a sun-drenched scene, typical of the Fauvist style. This work, created in 1906, comes from a pivotal period when the artist was exploring intense color and flattened perspectives. It reflects his deep engagement with the theme of bathers, a subject he admired in the work of Paul Cézanne, whose own "Three Bathers" he owned for decades. Here, the figures are less about anatomical accuracy and more about the interplay of color and form, creating a sense of idyllic leisure. The circular format of the plate itself adds to the intimate, almost decorative quality of the scene, inviting a closer look at the spontaneous brushwork and vivid hues.