One of the most innovative and influential artists of the early twentieth century, the master of color, subjective realism, and emotional depth is rediscovered by an internationally renowned scholar in a ravishing, monumental volume.
At the end of the nineteenth century, as a member of the avantgarde Nabis group, Pierre Bonnard actively participated in the construction of aesthetic modernity. His painting proposed new, radical formulas for transforming space and narrative as he advocated for art that embraced all techniques and challenged the traditional hierarchy of genres. Elegantly packaged, and filled with large, full-color, high quality reproductions this volume covers every facet of Bonnard’s creative work. It opens with an examination of the artist’s association with the Nabis group, exploring the influences of Symbolism and Japanese prints on his early work and looks at the development of his unique visual language, which is characterized by the interplay of vibrant colors, intimate perspectives, and a poetic rendering of everyday scenes. It explores his intimate connections to settings such as Paris, Normandy, and the Côte d'Azur as well as his innovative use of fragmentation, the importance of drawing and sketches, his masterful use of color and composition, and the role of dueling forces—isolation and intimacy, vitality and impermanence, realism and ambiguity. A final chapter discusses Bonnard’s most prominent collectors and patrons and tackles the question of his relevance and legacy. As sumptuous as it is informative, this comprehensive, authoritative work reveals how Bonnard helped explore the human experience through the lens of vibrant and emotionally charged canvases.
