Pierre Bonnard
French, 1867 - 1947Boulevard, 1895
Not on view
Transfer lithograph on paper
Dimensions16 × 21 1/2 in. (40.6 × 54.6 cm)
Gift of The Whiting Foundation through Mr. Donald E. Johnson, 1987.22
Pierre Bonnard, a French Post-Impressionist painter renowned for his opulent use of color, was an important link between Impressionism and later European modernism, especially Fauvism. As a friend to Monet and Renoir, Bonnard shared with them a pronounced interest in light and color, although he eventually came to define his own distinctive style. Like his close friend, fellow-painter Édouard Vuillard, he began by painting colorful landscapes, but soon was attracted to the decorative aspects afforded by scenes of domestic interiors.
This lithograph, published by the great French publisher and art dealer, Ambroise Vollard, was printed in a limited edition of 100. Most of the prints from this edition are owned by important museums and private collections throughout the world. This print reveals Bonnard’s ability to capture a variety of moods and the casual, urbane ambiance of Paris. He and Vuillard, with whom he shared a studio in Montmartre, knew and loved the casual incident and the ever-changing scenes along the boulevard. The atmosphere depicted is youthful, humorous and sometimes nostalgic.
