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BONNARD
PIERRE HOWARD'S ART IS THE EXPRESSION Oh His UN-
bridled delight in ordinary, daily life. The world his
work evokes is one ot cozy rooms suffused with
light, of tender family presences, of nudes stepping
in and out of the bath, of amiable and adored cats and floppy
Parisian dogs. His interiors have an inviting glow —tables are
always laden with fruit, doors and windows are open, and
lush and heady landscapes spill forth. Bonnard painted a land
ot bounty and sensuous enchantment.
Born in 1867 to a well-to-do family near Paris, Bonnard
—
was very much part ot the cultured bourgeoisie- wry, urbane,
and fond ot domestic comforts. Initially associated with the
group ot painters known as the Nabis, who were interested in
oriental motifs, mysticism, and the art of Paul Gauguin, Bonnard
became influenced by Japanese prints. Like the Japanese art-
ists whose work he admired, Bonnard tended to emphasize
line and color over modeling and depth, and to abolish any
hierarchy among his subjects. In his paintings, a kitchen pot is
as likely to be the focus ot attention as is a person, and often
his most successful works revolve around a simple ornamental
detail: the patterns in a dress or the stripes on a blouse, the
scattered flowers on a wallpaper, or the checks ofa tablecloth.
It is precisely this ability to infuse even the most common-
place object with such vivid personality that sets Bonnard
—
apart that and his \\ork's inimitable charm and playfulness.
Andre Fermigier, a leading French art critic and historian,
takes us from Bonnard's earlv, whimsical glimpses of daily life to
his later work with its dedication to color, line, and luminos-
ity. In tortv dazzling colorplates, each with a commentary that
is informative about both the painter and his art, Bonnard's
extraordinary virtuosity as a colorist comes powerfully to life.
Other aspects of the artist's achievements are revealed in over
sixty black-and-white illustrations show ing his bold, stylized,
poster designs, his rich and subtle drawings, and his vibrant
lithographs. The broad scope and innovative genius of Pierre
Bonnard are undeniably reaffirmed in this beautiful volume.
101 illustrations, including 40 plates in full color
BOSTON
PUBLIC
LIBRARY
BONNARD
C
*-
the laundry girl. 1896. Color lithograph, 11 3/4X7 1/2"
PIERRE
BONNARD
ANDRE FERMIGIER
HARRY ABRAMS, NEW YORK
N. INC., Publishers,
BRIGHTON BRANCH
cat, illustration for Renard's Histoires naturelles.
1903. Brush and ink, 11 3/4x4 1/2'.
Collection Hans R. Hahnloser, Berne
ISBN 0-8109-0732-1
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 83-72132
Published in 1984 by Harry N. Abrams, Incorporated, New York.
Also published in a leatherbound edition for The Easton Press,
Norwalk, Connecticut. All rights reserved. This is a concise edition
ofAndre Fermigier's Bonnard, originally published in 1969.
No part ofthe contents ofthis book may be published without
the written permission ofthe publisher.
Picture reproduction rights, where applicable,
reserved by S.P.A.D.E.M., Paris
Printed and bound in Japan
CONTENTS
PIERRE BONNARD
by Andre Fermigier 7
Graphic Wokks and Drawings 41
COLORPLATES
THE PARADE GROUND
49
FOUR PANELS FOR A SCREEN
51
THE CHECKERED BLOUSE
53
THE BRIDGE AT CHATOU
ICE SKATERS 51
MAN AND WOMAN
59
YOUNG WOMAN IN LAMPLIGHT 61
WOMAN
PORTRAIT OF A 63
THE TERRASSE FAMILY (L'Aprc.s-midi bourgeoise) 65
THE VOYAGE
67
EMMA THE SEAMSTRESS
69
THELOGE
71
THE CHERRY TART
73
NUDE AGAINST THE LIGHT
75
COFFEE IN THE GARDEN 77
VIEW OF SAINT-TROPEZ 79
THE RED-CHECKERED TABLECLOTH
81
NUDE IN LAMPLIGHT 83
NUDE WITH COVERLET NUDE WITH TOQUE
and 85
THE ORANGE BLOUSE
87
DINING ROOM IN THE COUNTRY 89
) 11
SIGNAC AND HIS FRIENDS SAILING
91
THE TUB
93
LANDSCAPE NEAR VERNON
95
TEA THE BLUE TOQUE
or 97
THE DINING ROOM
99
THE BATH
101
THE JETTY (Le Debarcadere) 103
MARTHE IN A RED BLOUSE 105
THE PROVENCAL JUG
107
PORTRAIT OF A CHILD
109
LE CABINET DE TOILETTE (Nude in a Bathroom) 1 1
NUDE BEFORE A MIRROR
1 13
DINING ROOM ON THE GARDEN
1 15
STILL LIFE (Le Coin de table 117
NUDE IN THE BATH 1 19
LANDSCAPE LE CANNET
: 12
THE STUDIO AT LE CANNET, WITH MIMOSA (L'Atelier au mimosa) 123
SEASCAPE: THE MEDITERRANEAN (La Mediterranee) 125
INTERIOR: DINING ROOM 127
