Red Plums

Art Historical Context

Pierre Bonnard’s *Red Plums* (1892) offers an intimate glimpse into the artist’s early still-life practice. At just twenty-five, Bonnard was already a leading figure among the Nabis, a circle of painters who favored bold color, flattened space, and decorative patterning drawn from Japanese prints. The modest canvas—barely ten by thirteen inches—reflects the group’s preference for small, personal works meant for private enjoyment rather than grand exhibition. Painted in oil, the medium’s slow drying time allowed Bonnard to layer translucent reds and warm neutrals, giving the fruit a soft, glowing presence. The title suggests a simple subject, yet the painting reveals his lifelong interest in transforming everyday objects into quiet celebrations of color and light. Now in the National Gallery of Art through the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, *Red Plums* captures the fresh, experimental spirit of Bonnard’s youth and the Nabis’ desire to bring art into daily life.

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...