- 319
Pierre Bonnard
Estimate
400,000 - 600,000 USD
Log in to view results
bidding is closed
Description
- Pierre Bonnard
- Jardin à Vernonnet
- Signed Bonnard (lower right)
- Oil on canvas
- 24 by 21 1/8 in.
- 61 by 53.8 cm
Provenance
Private Collection, United States
Exhibited
London, Royal Academy of Arts, Pierre Bonnard, 1966
Literature
Jean & Henry Dauberville, Bonnard. Catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre peint, vol. II, Paris, 1968, no. 838, illustrated p. 362
Condition
The work is in excellent condition. The canvas has been lined. The colors are fresh and vibrant. Under UV light: certain pigments fluoresce but no inpainting is apparent.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.
Catalogue Note
Pierre Bonnard was continually inspired by the enchanting surroundings of his home in Vernonnet. His small house was situated on the Seine not far from the famed gardens of Giverny which at this time were providing fruitful subject matter for Claude Monet. The present bucolic composition evokes one of Bonnard’s most celebrated works from this period, Salle à manger à la champagne (see fig.1). The same delicate tree and pink roses animating the horizon are found in their full splendour in the present work. Sarah Whitfield explains how Bonnard succeeded in composing scenes characterized by a strong contrast between the intimate interior and abundant exterior (Sarah Whitfield, "Fragments of an Identical World," in Bonnard (exhibition catalogue), Tate Gallery, London, 1998, p.12). Salle à manger à la champagne illustrates this juxtaposition; the interior, composed of doors, window frames and panes, provide a closed structure that tantalizingly hints at the oasis outside. In Jardin à Vernonnet, the artist allows us to cross the boundary and embrace the oasis. In this outstanding work there are no more formal barriers: we are immersed in luxurious nature.
The present work illustrates not only Bonnard’s creative delight in his gardens but also his predilection for sunset scenery. The artist painted numerous works at this time of day, achieving exquisite tonal contrasts as he captured the capricious effects of light. Jardin à Vernonnet, dominated by a marvellous crepuscular sky, marks a significant evolution in Bonnard’s technique. The lower half of the composition demonstrates Bonnard’s inherited artistic affinity with the Impressionist style; the bright palette of the foreground and lively brushstrokes evoke Monet’s landscapes while the roses emulate Renoir’s favorite flowers. In the upper half of the painting, however, and in the remarkable horizon, Bonnard’s approach testifies to his growing empathy with the Nabis group. Following Gauguin’s principle of pure color and flat decorative composition, the Nabis converged Art Nouveau aesthetics and mystical philosophy. The striking contrast of the tree’s branches with the golden sky attests to the influence of Japanese prints on Bonnard and the Nabis. In the present work, Bonnard seems to depict his own artistic path: from his familiar garden rendered from techniques inherited from a former generation, we are transported to a wild horizon and the Post-Impressionist direction to which his art is heading, presaging an unknown and future modernity.
The present work illustrates not only Bonnard’s creative delight in his gardens but also his predilection for sunset scenery. The artist painted numerous works at this time of day, achieving exquisite tonal contrasts as he captured the capricious effects of light. Jardin à Vernonnet, dominated by a marvellous crepuscular sky, marks a significant evolution in Bonnard’s technique. The lower half of the composition demonstrates Bonnard’s inherited artistic affinity with the Impressionist style; the bright palette of the foreground and lively brushstrokes evoke Monet’s landscapes while the roses emulate Renoir’s favorite flowers. In the upper half of the painting, however, and in the remarkable horizon, Bonnard’s approach testifies to his growing empathy with the Nabis group. Following Gauguin’s principle of pure color and flat decorative composition, the Nabis converged Art Nouveau aesthetics and mystical philosophy. The striking contrast of the tree’s branches with the golden sky attests to the influence of Japanese prints on Bonnard and the Nabis. In the present work, Bonnard seems to depict his own artistic path: from his familiar garden rendered from techniques inherited from a former generation, we are transported to a wild horizon and the Post-Impressionist direction to which his art is heading, presaging an unknown and future modernity.