Bouquet of Flowers

c. 1926

Pierre Bonnard

Artist, French, 1867 - 1947

A bouquet of about a dozen ruffled, frilly, pink flowers in a white pitcher painted with blue undertones nearly fills this vertical still-life composition. Brushstrokes are loose throughout so many details are difficult to make out. The bouquet sits right of center atop a table layered with brick red, pumpkin orange, marigold yellow, and ivory white patterned cloths. The background is especially loosely painted with strokes of celestial blue, teal green, burnt orange, and ash brown. Some upright brown strokes could represent the back of a wood chair. The artist signed the work in the lower right corner, “Bonnard.”
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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    oil on canvas

  • Credit Line

    Ailsa Mellon Bruce Collection

  • Dimensions

    overall: 70.1 x 47.2 cm (27 5/8 x 18 9/16 in.)
    framed: 99.4 x 76.5 x 10.2 cm (39 1/8 x 30 1/8 x 4 in.)

  • Accession

    1970.17.9

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Acquired 1930 from the artist by (Bernheim-Jeune, Paris). (Sam Salz, Inc., New York); sold 15 October 1964 to Ailsa Mellon Bruce [1901-1969], New York;[1] gift 1970 to NGA.
[1]Provenance according to the Ailsa Mellon Bruce notebook now in NGA archives, copy NGA curatorial records.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1933

  • Het Stilleven, Kunsthandel J. Goudstikker, Amsterdam, 1933, no. 24, repro.

1966

  • French Paintings from the Collections of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon and Mrs. Mellon Bruce, National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1966, no. 162, repro.

1984

  • Loan for display with permanent collection, Oklahoma Museum of Art, Oklahoma City, 1984-1987.

1989

  • Impressionisti della National Gallery of Art di Washington, Ala Napoleonica e Museo Correr, Venice; Palazzo Reale, Milan, 1989, unnumbered catalogue, repro.

1992

  • From El Greco to Cézanne: Masterpieces of European Painting from the National Gallery of Art, Washington, and The Metroplitan Museum of Art, New York, National Gallery of Greece, Athens, 1992-1993, no. 71, repro.

1996

  • Obras Maestras de la National Gallery of Art de Washington, Museo Nacional de Antropología, Mexico City, 1996-1997, unnumbered catalogue, 176-177, color repro.

1999

  • Masterpieces from the National Gallery of Art, Washington, Kyoto Municipal Museum of Art; Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, 1999, no. 71, repro.

  • Around Impressionism: French Paintings from the National Gallery of Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1999, no cat.

2000

  • Extended loan for use by Secretary Richard Riley, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C., 2000-2001.

2013

  • Intimate Impressionism from the National Gallery of Art, Museo dell'Ara Pacis Augustae, Rome (exhibition title in this venue: Impressionist Gems); California Palace of the Legion of Honor, San Francisco; McNay Art Museum, San Antonio; Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum, Tokyo, Seattle Art Museum, 2013-2016, pl. 67.

Bibliography

1966

  • Dauberville, Jean, and Henry Dauberville. Bonnard, Catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre peint. 4 vols. Paris, 1966-1974: no. 1438, repro.

1975

  • European Paintings: An Illustrated Summary Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1975: 34, repro.

1984

  • Walker, John. National Gallery of Art, Washington. Rev. ed. New York, 1984: 578, no. 882, color repro.

1985

  • European Paintings: An Illustrated Catalogue. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1985: 53, repro.

1991

  • Coman, Florence E. Joie de Vivre: French Paintings from the National Gallery of Art. Washington, 1991: no. 30, repro.

Inscriptions

lower right: Bonnard

Wikidata ID

Q20192622

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