Boating

Art Historical Context

Pierre Bonnard's *Boating* (1897) captures the leisurely joys of a summer day on the water, rendered in a vibrant lithograph using greens, blues, yellows, and brown-violets. This color print, measuring 42.7 x 57 cm, exemplifies Bonnard's early mastery of lithography during his association with Les Nabis, a group of French artists who emphasized decorative patterns, bold colors, and flattened forms inspired by Japanese prints and Symbolism. At just 30 years old, Bonnard was transitioning from his Nabi phase toward the intimate domestic scenes that would define his later Intimist style. Created in the fin-de-siècle era, when posters and prints democratized art amid Paris's booming café and leisure culture, *Boating* reflects the era's fascination with modern pastimes. Bonnard's technique employs layered lithographic colors for a luminous, tapestry-like effect, prioritizing mood and harmony over precise realism. Part of the National Gallery of Art's Rosenwald Collection in the Prints department, this work highlights how affordable printmaking made Bonnard's joyful visions accessible to a wide audience. Imagine drifting along the Seine as you gaze at its glowing hues—*Boating* invites us to savor fleeting moments of serenity.

About the Artist

Pierre Bonnard · 1867–1947

Pierre Bonnard (1867–1947) was a French painter and printmaker who became a leading figure in the Post-Impressionist movement and a founding member of Les Nabis. Born on October 3, 1867, in Fontenay-aux-Roses, France, Bonnard initially studied law at his father's insistence, graduating and briefly practicing as a barrister in 1888. However, his true passion lay in art, and he had simultaneously at...