Pierre Bonnard: The Late Interiors
The Pierre Bonnard exhibition capture my attention, in a radiant late
interior and still life’s of Pierre Bonnard who was born in 1867 and past away in
1947. The exhibition consists in 80 paintings, drawings and watercolors of the
artist later years. The paintings of the artists later year where centered in his
pink stucco house overlooking the Mediterranean in the village of Le Cannet. He
combines color, light and vision, and expresses his emotions and sensations; his
paintings are based on modernism and prompt a reappraisal of his reputation in
the history of 20th-century art.
In his painting he uses the material oil on canvas, he draws, figures,
objects, he reflects an everyday scene, he offers no narrative clues of dialogue.
When he paints he uses dark, which imposes shadows or white table linens,
recurs in his paintings. In one of his painting called The work table (1926/1937)
he captures the image of what I am assuming is his work table where he use to
maybe sketch his paintings he uses light that transforms the color, in his
paintings you can recognize certain objects but they a bit of mystery and
irresolution. He also made use of a daybook were he used to sketch his
paintings, in his daybook he used pencil and colored pencil on paper leather.
Bonnards paintings reflects an intense use of color, and in many of his
paintings we can see sunlit interiors of rooms, gardens with friends or family. He
also painted landscapes and often he shows flowers and fruits. Bonnard drew
his subjects then made notes, and later on he will paint the canvas in his studios
from his notes. Which is very interesting because when I first saw the painting I
thought he was painting it from life.
The paintings reflect elegance through a normal day of life, which also
reflects peace and tranquility, he shows his unique perspective of life, nature,
work which to me it seems that for him life had its own rhythm, through his
painting I could escape from the jacked world we lived in, his paintings reminds
of the beauty of enjoying an afternoon or a dinner with someone around us either
friends or family without the necessity of interacting to much, in the painting
named Before Dinner, we see two people getting ready for dinner and it seems to
me that they are not interacting, they are peaceful and just getting ready for
dinner. It was impressing to me knowing that Bonnards, had a rough time in his
life when he was capture by the nazis, but still in his painting I did not see any
hateful or negative painting that could reflect this though years in his life, it
appears to me that he live a very pleasant life filled by love and surrounded by
people he loved and who loved him as well.
The exhibit to me was refreshing and very enjoyable, the colors and the
objects he paints are just proof that there is nothing else more beautiful than
nature itself the colors and there is nothing better than living peacefully and
enjoying what you better do.
Table in front of a Window 1934/1935
Before Dinner 1924
Raphael to Renoir: Drawings from the Collection of Jean
Bonna
The Raphael to Renoir: Drawing from the Collection of Jean Bonna, it’s
the first exhibition dedicated to the European old master and 19 th-century
drawings. This destinguised collection is from Mr. Jean Bonna in Geneva,
Switzerland. Many of the drawing on display are masterpieces range through
500 years of art history. This exhibit includes masterpieces of famous artists
such as Michelangelo Anselmi, Andrea Del Sarto, Parmigianino, Canaletto,
Goya, Van Gogh and so many others.
This amazing exhibit is located at the Galleries fro drawings, prints and
photographs is the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The paints are divided into three
rooms, the paintings where organized from the oldes to the latest. The paintings
are made by pencil or in some cases they also aded read and white chalk, some
other paintings also contain brown ink, blue and black chalk. The paintings
where mainly supported by paper.
One of the paintings that capture my attention was the Study of Soldier
in The Conversion of Saul, by Raphael (Raffaello Santi) who was Italian born in
1483 and died in 1550. This painting was ellaborated arround 1515/16, painted
with red chalk, over extensive preliminary stylus underdrawing its dimension are
12 1/2 x 9 11/16 in. maximum, it’s glued onto mount and with a number of losses
to the original support harmonized. It’s annotated in pen and brown ink on madeup support on lower right corener. The subject of this piece is religious and its
based on Act 9:1-7, they explained that Saul was baptized Paul and became
know as the apostle of the Gentiles. The study its exploring the design for the
witnessing Roman soldiers. Apparently the main soldier was studied from a live
model while the horse was added from the artist memory. In this painting you
can see the expressions in the man face although this moment was not
happening at that moment the artist could create a scene that reflected pain and
frustration.
The Holy Familiy with Shepherds and Angels created in 1523-24 by
Parmigianno (Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola) another Italian famous artist
another piece with religious matter was made on pen and brown ink, brush and
gray-brown wash, over traces of black chalk and scattered traces of gray
pigment, its dimensions are 10 ¼ x 7 3/8. This piece introduces elegant figures
in repose, the man at the left is Saint Joseph, to me it seems like they are
reposing on clauds or as some explanation says its supported by a landscape
feature or a man made object. The angels are represented by the little kids
seeting next to Saint Joseph.
Jacopo Vignali (Italian 1592-1664) creator of the Head of a Young
Woman with a Coral Neclace 1625-30. This painting is ellaborated with black
chalk and red chalk, various framing lines in black chalk simulating a frame. It is
inscribed on recto in pen and brown ink. Jacopo dedicated to religious work.
According to historians this piece might have been a study for a painting. In this
painting the face of the girl looks really sad, or to me she even looked sick maybe
the contrast in the colors white and the red under her eyes gives me this
perspective of sickness, the expression on her face shows that she was going
through a hard time in her life, her eyes where so lost in her problems or
depression. The same face appears in another piece made by Giovanni de San
Giovanni. The expression on her face says so many things that she inspired
both artists to create masterpieces.
My favorite, from Hans Hoffman (German, ca. 1545/1550–1591 or 1592).
A Wild Boar Piglet (Sus Scrofa) 1578. Made with watercolor and body-color on
vellum, monogrammed and dates in pen and black ink at lower center. This artist
must of the time found his inspiration in plants and animals. Its one of my
favorites because it reflected the animal with such reality, every single hair on
the Boar piglet looked so real and the colors he used were amazing, he could
capture every single detail about this animal his eyes looked so aware of its
surroundings, I felt like the Piglet was next to me in reality.
Besides learning about some of the famous artist from the 19th-century, I
could learn also the different techniques they used to create their masterpieces.
I noticed that in order to create a drawing you do not need so many colors to
accomplish a great drawing but is the technique the artist use to reflect the
emotions in every single piece, which creates an impact and a connection
between the piece, the viewer and at the same time with the artist.
A Wild Boar Piglet (Sus Scrofa) 1578
Head of a Young Woman with a Coral Neclace 1625-30
Merelyn Aragon
April 17 2009
New York Art
Pierre Bonnard: The Late Interiors
&
Raphael to Renoir: Drawings from the Collection of Jean
Bonna