Pierre Bonnard

Gaston Lévy, Paris (and sold: Hôtel Drouot, Paris, November 17, 1932, lot 53)
William & Edith Mayer Goetz, Los Angeles (acquired by 1959 and sold: Christie's, New York, November 14, 1988, lot 4)
Sale: Christie's, London, June 26, 2001, lot 184
Private Collection (acquired at the above sale and sold: Christie's, London, February 5, 2008, lot 375)
Private Collection (acquired at the above sale)
Private Collection, Russia (acquired from the above and sold: Sotheby's, London, June 20, 2012, lot 352)
Acquired at the above sale by A. Alfred Taubman

San Francisco, Palace of the Legion of Honor, The Collection of Mr. & Mrs. William Goetz, 1959, no. 2, illustrated in the catalogue
Tokyo, Museum of Fine Art Sompo Japan Seiji Togo (& travelling in Japan), Pierre Bonnard, 2004, no. 13, illustrated in the catalogue
Rome, Complesso del Vittoriano, Matisse e Bonnard, Viva la pittura!, 2006-07, no. 209, illustrated in the catalogue

François-Joachim Beer, Pierre Bonnard, Marseille, 1947, pl. 54, illustrated p. 74
Jean & Henry Dauberville, Bonnard, Catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre peint 1888-1905, vol. I, Paris, 1965, no. 336, illustrated p. 303

This work is in very good condition. Executed on canvas laid down on board. The surface is clean and richly textured. The pigments are bright and well preserved. Some very minor old frame abrasion to the extreme perimeter. There is an artist pinhole in each of the corners which have been inpainted. Three very minor dots of paint loss in the deep red pigment of her dress towards center of lower edge. Under UV light some original pigments fluoresce, notably the collar of the dress, the brim of the hat, the figure's left cheek and in the background towards center of right edge.
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.

By the turn of the century, Bonnard was one of the best established painters of his time, his success stemming from the popularity of his intimate depictions of domestic interiors and Paris scenes, as well as his keen draftsmanship. He continued to mature as an artist, and his style slowly began to shift back to the naturalism which he had rejected during his Nabis years. He became more attentive to issues such as color, space and light, as well as the anatomy and gesture of his models. Discussing Bonnard's works of the early years of the twentieth century, James Elliot commented that: "It was then that Bonnard assimilated into his own style the technical means of the impressionists—short brush strokes, lighter tonal values, sophisticated hue relationships" (James Elliot, Bonnard and His Environment (exhibition catalogue), Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1964, p. 24).

Portrait de jeune femme ou Le chapeau is a strong example of this important transitional phase in Bonnard's oeuvre. This portrait is depicted in a clear and soft palette of grey and white, with a hint of brown. In the early twentieth century, hats were the fashion mainstay for the modern woman, and they were to be as imposing and ostentatious as possible. It was Bonnard's admiration for Renoir that led him to emphasize his sitters' hats. Indeed, Renoir was a great admirer of hats, and he even created his own extravagant hats for his female models to wear.