Policeman and Accused Man (Trial Version for Dingo)
1924
Medium
photogravure in black with drypoint remarque on wove paper
Dimensions
plate: 31.8 x 24.7 cm (12 1/2 x 9 3/4 in.) sheet: 32.2 x 25.1 cm (12 11/16 x 9 7/8 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of the Virginia and Ira Jackson Collection
Accession Number
2004.162.14
Art Historical Context
Pierre Bonnard's *Policeman and Accused Man (Trial Version for Dingo)*, created in 1924, offers a rare glimpse into the French artist's illustrative work beyond his signature intimate domestic scenes. A leading figure in the Post-Impressionist group Les Nabis, Bonnard was renowned for his luminous colors and playful compositions, but here he applies his delicate touch to book illustration. This photogravure—a photomechanical intaglio process prized for its velvety tones and photographic precision—was produced as a trial proof for *Dingo*, a novel by Abel Bonnard (no relation). The drypoint rem...
About the Artist
Pierre Bonnard
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...