BONNARD, Pierre

Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947) was a French painter, printmaker and illustrator known especially for the stylized decorative qualities of his paintings and his strong use of colour.
‘La Sieste‘ also called ‘The Artists Studio‘ is an early instance of the many studies Pierre Bonnard made of the intimate setting of the model in the artists studio. From a high angle we look down on a scene of drowsy abandonment. The picture has a rich pattern of wallpapers, tumbled sheets, warm flesh, tactile objects, e.g. books, cups, the dog. A masterly example of Bonnard’s sensual art and refinement of his style.
Bonnard was a student of the Academie Julien and became a member of the ‘nabis’ or ‘prophets’. Later at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts he met Vuillard who became his lifelong friend and together they developed the intimate domestic interior scenes called ‘Intimiste’. Bonnard’s life was relatively serene and uneventful and his finest work radiates a sense of well-being that won him great popularity with both collectors and the general public.
Pierre Bonnard was a pivotal artist in the evolution from Impressionism to Modernism. His work encompassed landscapes, urban scenes, portraits, and intimate domestic settings, where his focus on vibrant backgrounds, rich colours, and expressive painting techniques often overshadowed the central subject.
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