Théâtre de l'Œuvre, for the Playbill of "Aert"

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of fin-de-siècle Paris with Pierre Bonnard's *Théâtre de l'Œ, for the Playbill "Aert"* (1897), a striking lithograph in black on wove paper. Bonnard, a key figure in the Nabis movement—a group of Post-Impressionist artists who blended symbolism, decorative arts, and bold flat colors—created this piece during his early career. The Nabis emphasized suggestion over realism, drawing from Japanese prints and theater posters to infuse everyday scenes with poetic intensity. This work served as a playbill for the avant-garde Théâtre de l'Œuvre, a hub for Symbolist dramas th...

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...