The Exalted Everyday: Pierre Bonnard's Captivating Color
Graduation Date
Spring 2011
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Document Form
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Program Name
Humanities
First Reader
Aaron Winkelman, OP, PhD
Second Reader
Heidi Chretien, PhD
Abstract
Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947) is often one of the most overlooked artists of the twentieth century. Fortunately, recent scholarship has reevaluated his place in the history of art. Pierre Bonnard’s association as member of the Nabi group in his early years has overshadowed his maturation as an artist. After his Nabi years, Pierre Bonnard did not associate himself with an artistic movement and painted for another forty years. Thus, art historians have had difficulty in categorizing his art in traditional art historical periods. This study examines Pierre Bonnard’s achievements as an innovative artist in light of his unique creative process. Working exclusively from memory, Pierre Bonnard painted to convey his authentic vision. For the purpose of this project, Bonnard’s late interior paintings after 1910 will be focused on. These paintings demonstrate Pierre Bonnard’s captivating use of color. Through color, Pierre Bonnard elevated everyday domestic rituals into splendid scenes of wonder.