Study for "La Valse" [verso]

Art Historical Context

Welcome to the National Gallery of, where we spotlight Pierre Bonnard's *Study for "La V" [verso]* (1891/1893), a delicate preparatory drawing from the artist's formative years. At just 22.2 x 10.9 cm, this intimate sheet captures Bonnard—then a Parisian in his mid-20s—as he honed his skills amid the vibrant Post-Impressionist scene. with the avant-garde Les Nabis group alongside peers like Édouard Vuillard and Maurice Denis, Bonnard was experimenting with symbolism and decorative patterns, laying groundwork for his later luminous color work. This study likely sketches elements for *La Valse* (The Waltz), evoking the era's fascination with dance as a metaphor for fleeting joy and social elegance. Crafted in pen and black ink over graphite, the work reveals Bonnard's precise technique: faint graphite underdrawings provide fluid outlines, refined by bold ink lines for rhythmic contours and expressive detail. Such mixed-media studies were essential in the 19th-century studio practice, bridging spontaneous ideas to finished paintings or prints. The verso designation hints at resourceful use of both sides, a nod to economical creativity. Housed in the Virginia and Ira Jackson Collection (Department CG-E), this drawing offers a rare glimpse into Bonnard's early draftsmanship, bridging his academic training at the Académie Julian with Nabi innovation. A charming window into fin-de-siècle Paris! (198 words)

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...