Bonnard and the Nordics

Pierre Bonnard (1867–1947) was one of the twentieth century’s most influential artists. In iridescent images, he captured the world around him: his home, family, garden, bustling streets, and the view on the ocean from his window. His paintings are more than shimmering idylls, though. They also contain puzzlingly ambiguous details that can be interpreted in multiple ways against the backdrop of the era’s disquiet and war.

The exhibition Bonnard and the Nordics offers new perspectives on Pierre Bonnard’s life and work. You get to accompany the Frenchman from his debut as a poster artist who depicted modern life in Paris in the late 1800s, to his years painting vibrant and intimate interpretations of daily life and the landscape in the southeast of France, in Normandy, and on the French Riviera, where Bonnard spent the last two decades of his life. Bonnard lived from 1867 to 1947 and is often seen as an artist who charted his own course, unaffected by the many -isms of modern art.

Pierre Bonnard’s life partner Marthe makes regular appearances in the artist’s work. The exhibition introduces Marthe Bonnard as an individual and highlights her impact on Bonnard’s creative endeavours. Visitors get to admire several of her own, rare works – signed ‘Marthe Solange’.