Until October 6th, the Caumont - Centre d'Art invites you to discover the work of Pierre Bonnard like you’ve never seen before. Through a selection of exceptional paintings, the institution explores the painter's fascination with Japanese prints, which transformed his vision of art. It’s a unique exhibition that highlights the very distinctive process of the artist.
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Pierre Bonnard, Provençal Conversation © Prague, National Gallery, Photo : akg-images / Erich Lessing
Bonnard and Japan: A Love Story at the Crossroads of Worlds
In 1890, during an exhibition organized by Siegfried Bing at the School of Fine Arts in Paris, Pierre Bonnard truly discovers Japanese painting. This is a revelation that transforms him so much it completely changes his approach to painting. From that moment, he incorporates new aesthetic principles, turning away from a traditional representation of reality. The Nabi begins to collect prints, and his art shifts towards «japonisme ».
As his creations evolve, Bonnard embraces the fluidity of movements, the contrast of colors, a strong love for decoration, and the flattening of space.
. It’s a new era that’s beginning, encouraging the artist to embrace an innovative representation of the ephemeral, not to reproduce what he sees, but rather to express what he feels. And to do this, he uses only one major instrument: color.
Pierre Bonnard, Au Bar © Private Collection, Photo: Heritage Images / Fine Art Images / akg-images
An exhibition as captivating as it is transporting
It is in these uniquely singular works that Caumont - Centre d'Art invites you to dive in today. By creating a dialogue between the painter's creations and a number of Japanese prints from the prestigious Leskowicz collection, the museum highlights the unbreakable links and the unquestionable influence of Japanese art on someone who was inspired not only by aesthetics but also by the mindset of Japanese artists.
On site, we discover a unique selection of paintings, some of which are rarely or never exhibited to the French public. Among the major works presented, we find Women in the Garden, a stunning screen...representing the 4 seasons through the profiles of 4 mystical women with Japanese features. Or even Almond Tree in Bloom, his very latest painting, which shows that, until the end of his life, Bonnard will remain faithful to his everlasting love: Japan.
View of the exhibition, Pierre Bonnard, Women in the Garden, Musée d’Orsay, Photo © Culturespaces / Thomas Garnier
Bonnard and Japan
Caumont - Centre d'Art
3, rue Joseph Cabassol – Aix-en-Provence
Until October 6, 2024
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