Etrange Enigma

Went back to the D'Orsay today and saw this painting:


Paul Serusier, La Lutte Bretonne.

It was painted between 1890 and 1893, depending on who you ask. In 1890 Serusier was 26 years old. It made me think of one of my favorite paintings:


Paul Gauguin, Vision after the Sermon, Jacob Wrestling with the Angel.

The vision after the sermon was painted in 1888, just two years before. Gauguin was 40 years old.

The two paintings are eerily similar: a crowd of women watch wrestling figures. They wear the traditional clothes of Breton, which resemble Nuns' habits. Shapes are loosely defined. Some shapes are modeled, but most of the painting (including the ground) is composed of flat fields of color. Above all, both painting are Symbolist.

Googling around for an image of Gauguin's painting, I came across:


Paul Gauguin, Vision after the Sermon (Jacob Wrestling with the Angel). 1888

Is this some kind of bizarre alternate version I've never seen before?

ps. Every time I go to the D'Orsay I start shaking in anger at how many tourists take flash photos of the paintings. Its the same at the Louvre. Every few SECONDS a flash goes off in the popular rooms. I've gone through a few phases: shock (where are the guards?), denial (perhaps its not that bad for the paintings?), Anger (idiots!), bargaining (I need a beer), depression (my generation will destroy these irreplaceable treasures). Apparently there's an "acceptance" phase that comes later.

I did a little research. It turns out the problem is lazy, socialist guards who can't be bothered to do their jobs. This is not the Socialist Utopia we were dreaming of.

They should hang up enormous banners in every room that would read: "you are destroying beauty with your damn flashingness." There would be an illustration of a painting crying paint.