Pierre Bonnard
French, 1867-1947
During the late nineteenth century the creative milieu in Paris was particularly diverse and stimulating as artists who had worked in the impressionist style were seeking a more complex and profound language of visual communication. Pierre Bonnard belonged to one such group of artists, the Nabis, who delighted in the use of flat areas of colors and bold, linear effects. In 1891 he said that "painting must be above all decorative. Talent shows itself in the way in which the lines are distributed." Bonnard was known for his ability to convey a sense of charm. He based his work on what he saw around him, depicting the banal, everyday sights and occurrences of Paris-children at play, a few animals, or perhaps a brief meeting at an intersection.

While studying for a law degree, Bonnard attended the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and Académie Julian. Impressed with Japanese prints and Paul Gauguin's painting, Bonnard formed the Nabis in 1889 with fellow student Edouard Vuillard and a host of other painters. Bonnard's style after 1899 is characterized by a more sumptuous palette, thicker impasto, and concentration on the effects of sunlight.