Pierre Bonnard

Ambroise Vollard, Paris
Private Collection, Europe

Tokyo, Gallery Yoshii, Bonnard, peintre de couleurs merveilleuses, 1973, no. 11, illustrated in the catalogue
Saint-Paul, Fondation Maeght, Bonnard dans sa lumière, 1975, no. 12
Tokyo, Nihonbashi Takashimaya Art Galleries; Kobe, Le Musée Préfectoral d'Art Moderne, Hyogo; Nagoya, Le Musée Préfectoral d'Art, Aichi & Fukuoka, Le Musée Municipal d'Art, Pierre Bonnard, 1980-81, no. 15, illustrated in colour in the catalogue (titled Scène de rue or Les Fiacres)
Geneva, Musée Rath, Pierre Bonnard, 1981, no. 17, illustrated in colour in the catalogue (titled Scène de rue or Les Fiacres)
Lausanne, Fondation de l'Hermitage, Pierre Bonnard, 1991, no. 23, illustrated in colour in the catalogue (titled Scène de rue or Les Fiacres)

Jean & Henry Dauberville, Bonnard. Catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre peint, Paris, 1974, vol. IV , no. 1863, illustrated p. 232 and illustrated in colour
Marcel Arland & Jean Leymarie, Bonnard dans sa lumière, Paris, 1978, no. 12, illustrated in colour p. 33

The artist's board is laid down on cradled panel. There is no evidence of retouching under ultra-violet light. There are pencil annotations on the lower edge, which are inherent to the support. Apart from some handling surface abrasions and scuffs to the board, this work is in good condition. Colours: Overall much fresher, stronger and more contrasted in the original.
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Painted circa 1905, Scène de rue à Paris depicts a busy Parisian street in the 18^th arrondissement, probably in the vicinity of Montmartre, a popular artists' quarter in the early twentieth century. Bonnard, who lived nearby, took joy in observing and painting the crowded streets in this part of the metropolis and the bohemian lifestyle of its inhabitants. Set against the grey street pavement, the present composition is dominated by numerous figures, some walking, others in horse-drawn carriages, all captured with a remarkable sense of movement, reflecting Bonnard's fascination with the energy and the dynamic life of the metropolis. Scène de rue à Paris displays a radically modern approach to the composition, shifting the focus away from its centre, towards groups of figures that appear to be walking in and out of the frame. This seemingly nonchalant positioning of the figures suggests a chance momentary glimpse, rather than a carefully staged ensemble.

 

In the autumn of 1899 the artist rented a studio and apartment at 65 rue de Douai, near Place Clichy and Place Pigalle, with a view towards Montmartre. Charles Terrasse later recalled Bonnard's studio: 'There were canvases. Easels all around, and in an angle a small table where one would have lunch. The balcony was a place that was particularly attractive. From there one could see so many things. A whole world. The street below was bustling ... agitated like a sea' (C. Terrasse, quoted in Pierre Bonnard: Early and Late (exhibition catalogue), The Phillips Collection, Washington, D. C., 2003, p. 33). Bonnard's fascination with depictions of Parisian streets dates from the early days of his career, and in 1895 he produced an album of lithographs on the theme of the city and its inhabitants, titled Quelques aspects de la vie de Paris. The spectacle of urban modernity provided a colourful source of inspiration, and the artist was fascinated by the variety of subjects it offered. Returning to this theme throughout his career, Bonnard's city scenes reflect a joie de vivre achieved through the use of luminous tones and a strong sense of energy and movement.

 

Bonnard shared his fascination with the city with Impressionist and post-Impressionist artists, including Caillebotte, Monet and Pissarro (fig. 1), all of whom executed a number of works depicting Parisian boulevards, squares and bridges, usually characterised by a sense of rich and varied life of the city. Gustave Geffroy commented: 'no-one is quicker than Bonnard to seize the look of our Parisian streets, the silhouettes of a passer-by and the patch of colour which stands out in the Metropolitan mist. [He] seizes on all the momentary phenomena of the street, even the most fugitive glances are caught and set down' (G. Geffroy, quoted in Pierre Bonnard (exhibition catalogue), Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1996, p. 16).