In this painting and Cider (on view nearby), Puvis developed his conception for a mural honoring the French territory of Picardy. Here, men construct a bridge over the Somme River while women bathe and mend fishing nets. Their draperies provide vivid accents of color amid the soft hues of the landscape. The final versions of Cider and The River are part of a cycle decorating the Musée de Picardie in Amiens.
-the met
Chavannes caught my eye decades and decades ago.
Not outright a Symbolist like Odilón Redon, he was still like a godfather figure to the group. Specialized in murals, as I understand.
There is a melancholy elegance to his work, with a dash of whimsy.
His color palette was what stuck out to me immediately. What Cezanne was to cubists he was to symbolists. (Well not exactly but you get the gist)