Pont Aven is France's equivalent of St Ives. It is located about 3km inland on the Brittany coast, where the Aven river tumbles into the tidal estuary. It was "discovered" by painters and artists during the late 19th Century. Paul Gaugin, Emile Bernard, Paul Serusier and Auguste Renoir and many of their friends and admirers in the impressionist movement spent time there. The proprietor of the hotel was a very accommodating lady, and would often accept paintings in lieu of payment for a room. By all accounts she acquired quite a collection from little known artists, many of whom would later gain recognition. The hotel, much enlarged and with a modern purpose built gallery attached, is now an outreach of the Louvre, not unlike the Tate's outpost in St. Ives.
Like St. Ives, Pont Aven trades on it relationship with the artists. Many of the shops have become galleries offering all manner of art, from representational paintings of the boats and coastal scenes of the surrounding area to abstract and contemporary art in all styles and mediums.
None of the pictures below are of the art on offer in these galleries. They were all taken in the town but you will not find any of them to be seen there. Can you work out what they are of?
