The Bridge, from Some Aspects of Paris Life
1896–97
Medium
Lithograph on off-white China paper
Dimensions
Image: 27 × 41 cm (10 11/16 × 16 3/16 in.); Sheet: 40.3 × 52.6 cm (15 7/8 × 20 3/4 in.)
Classification
lithograph
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
117730
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant streets of fin-de-siècle Paris with Pierre Bonnard's *The Bridge, from Some Aspects of Paris* (1896–97). This lithograph captures a quintessential urban moment, likely featuring a graceful bridge arching over the Seine amid the city's bustling energy. Bonnard, a key figure the Post-Impressionist Les Nabis, drew inspiration from Japanese prints and everyday scenes, infusing his work with decorative patterns, luminous colors, and a dreamlike intimacy that blurred the line between fine art and popular illustration. Printed on delicate off-white China paper (image: 27 × 41 c...
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...