Pierre Bonnard

Galerie Bernheim-Jeune, Paris (acquired from the artist in 1919)
Max Pellequer, Paris
Ambroise Vollard, Paris
Robert de Galéa, Paris
Christian de Galéa, Paris (by descent from the above and sold: Christie's, London, February 6, 2001, lot 15)
Acquired at the above sale by the present owner

Tokyo, Galerie Yoshii, Bonnard, Peintre de couleurs merveilleuses, 1973, no. 23, illustrated in color in the catalogue
Saint-Paul de Vence, Fondation Maeght, Pierre Bonnard dans sa lumière, 1975, no. 24
Tokyo, Takashima Art Galleries; Kobe, Musée Préfectoral d'Art Moderne; Nagoya, Aichi Prefectoral Museum & Fukuoka, Musée Municipal d'Art, Pierre Bonnard, 1980-81, no. 37
Geneva, Musée Rath, Pierre Bonnard, 1981, no. 39 (incorrectly titled)
Madrid, Fundación Juan March & Barcelona, Fundació la Caixa, Bonnard, 1983, no. 25
Lausanne, Fondation de l'Hermitage, Pierre Bonnard, 1867-1947, 1991, no. 43, illustrated in color in the catalogue (incorrectly titled Le Quatorze juillet)
Humlebaek, Denmark, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Pierre Bonnard, 1992-93, no. 49
Paris, Galerie Schmit, Pierre Bonnard, 1995, no. 29
Paris, Galerie Schmit, Maîtres français du XIXe et XXe siècles, 2000, no. 3

Jean & Henry Dauberville, Bonnard, Catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre peint, 1906-1919, vol. II, Paris, 1968, no. 937, illustrated p. 432

This work is in excellent condition. The canvas is unlined and under UV light 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.

Armistice was painted late in 1918, shortly after the treaty between the Allies and Germany was signed, bringing World War I to an end. Bonnard evokes the jubilant atmosphere through the striking composition and economical, yet vibrant palette. Placing himself anonymously amid the chaos of the crowd, the artist captures the transitory expressions, gestures and emotions which animate the figures.

Painted with characteristic verve, the present work demonstrates the immediacy of the artist's hand. The broad, dry brushstrokes create a sense of dynamism, whilst emphasising the flatness of the perspective and allowing the canvas support to permeate the patches of color. The use of bold, black pigment recalls the cloisonnism of early Gauguin and is a hallmark of Bonnard's Post-Impressionist technique.

Armistice is typical of paintings by the Nabis, the avant-garde group to which Bonnard was central; it exhibits the artist's synthesis of an observed reality with an expressive personal symbolism – such non-representational approaches to painting provided a vital source of inspiration for emergent artistic movements, particularly Expressionism and the move towards abstraction.