Les Nabis (from the Hebrew word for prophet) was a group of Post-Impressionist French painters active from 1888-1900. Some of its key members met at the Académie Julian in Paris, which offered a liberal alternative to the official École des beaux-arts. Founded in secret by Paul Sérusier, the group included Pierre Bonnard, Edouard Vuillard and Maurice Denis. Inspired by Paul Gauguin's Synthetism, these artists adopted a style characterised by flat patches of colour, bold contours and simplified drawing. Their unconventional outlook led them to experiment with painting on different supports including cardboard and velvet, and to create set designs for Symbolist theatre (See Symbolism).