“ Breton Woman” was painted by Irish artist Roderic O’Conor in the 19th century. This blog will explore O’Conor’s life and career, and investigate the culture represented by the woman in this painting- the Bretons.
Painting, Breton Woman/Roderic O Conor (1860-1940)/ Oil on canvas, (frame) Wood, wooden frame/19th century/The Hunt Collection/ PD
About the artist
Roderic O’Conor was born in Milton, Co. Roscommon in 1860, the second of six children. His father was high sheriff of the county; it is reputed that his forebears were kings of Connacht.
O’Conor was educated at Ampleforth in Yorkshire. He also studied at the Metroplitan School of Art in Dublin and the Royal Hibernian Academy Schools. However, much of his career was spent in Belgium and France.
In the later 19th century, it was common for Irish and British artists to study in Belgium and France. Unlike other artists who returned home to Ireland after studying in these countries, O’Conor remained on the Continent. He studied at the Academie Royale in Antwerp in 1883 and later settled in France. He spent time at the artists’ colony in Pont Aven, Brittany. It is likely that it was during his time here that he became interested in depicting Breton life.
Roderic O’Connor, 1860-1940
Self-Portrait, 1903
Oil on canvas
55 x 46 cm
National Gallery of Ireland Collection
Bequeathed, Mr W. Wallace Anderson, 1929
NGI.922
Photo, National Gallery of Ireland
The Breton People
The Bretons come from Brittany, in north-west France. It is said that they originally came from Wales and Cornwall; they immigrated to the continent in the 6th century AD.
Breton is a Celtic language and has four dialects. Approximately 5% of the population of Brittany still speaks Breton today.
Traditional Breton costume dates back to approximately the 16th century. The costume or headdress (bigoudène) revealed a lot of identity information: geographical affiliation, profession, economic success, etc. Each costume, male or female, was worn as an external sign of wealth, regardless of the status of its owner. For men, the shape of the Breton hat, the volume of the bragou-braz ( breeches), the width of the velvet, the length of the braid, the shine of the bib were of great importance. For women, the elegance of the embroidery, the patterns of the lace and the fabrics, carried meaning and proof of presence.
The Bretons did not wear the costumes on a daily basis. The headdress was only worn on special occasions, such as for markets, fairs, weddings, mourning and celebrations.
The Breton clothing fashion began to disappear in favour of more modern, urban clothing in the 20th century. Nowadays, the Breton clothing is only worn for Breton festivals. One item of Breton clothing, the “kab an aod” or “kabig” (a type of coat) is still sometimes worn by French people. The name comes from the Breton word “cab” meaning “cape”.
Close-up of "Breton Woman"
Bigoudène- Breton headdress
