PIERRE BONNARD | La Maison jaune

Pierre Matisse Gallery, New York
Mrs. Ralph Hines, New York
Sidney M. Schoenberg, St. Louis
M. Knoedler & Co., New York
Mr. Shirley Carter Burden, New York (acquired from the above on June 15, 1959)
Thence by descent

Jean & Henry Dauberville, Bonnard, Catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre peint 1920-1939, vol. III, Paris, 1973, no. 1162, illustrated p. 146

The canvas is unlined. There are a couple scattered accretions in the sky. There is some minor frame abrasion around the extreme perimeter of the canvas. The colors are bright and fresh. Under UV light, some original pigments fluoresce but 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.

The 1920s marked a turning point in Bonnard's style. Through his earlier involvement with the Nabis, Bonnard had long employed decorative elements such as flattened planes of color and bold contours. In his mature work, this technique would prove extraordinarily effective in conveying the nuanced variations in the terrain of the South of France. As Nicholas Watkins explains, “Bonnard’s art was always very much based on reality, but a distinction can be made between his northern and southern landscapes: whereas in the former he was more concerned with capturing the transient effects of weather, in the latter the permanence of atmosphere drew him into an alternative Mediterranean vision of a classical Golden Age. Cézanne and Renoir, rather than Monet, became his mentors in the south" (Nicholas Watkins, Bonnard, London, 1994, p. 156). The present work, which showcases a verdant landscape and electric sunset, exemplifies the best of this production.