Artwork
Pierre Bonnard
Pierre Bonnard is an ink print by Odilon Redon. It dates from 1900 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Odilon Redon produced a black lithograph on chine collé in 1900 that bears the title Pierre Bonnard. The work is a single‑sheet print, executed in a loose, gestural manner that emphasizes line over tonal modeling.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents a profile of a bearded male figure, rendered with minimal facial detail. Only the outline of the nose, mouth and faint suggestion of the eyes are visible, allowing the viewer to focus on the immediacy of the gesture rather than a literal likeness.
Technique & Style
Redon employed the lithographic process, drawing directly onto a prepared stone or metal plate with a greasy medium before transferring the image onto a thin paper support (chine collé). The strokes are rapid and sketch‑like, lacking shading or refined modeling, which conveys a sense of spontaneity typical of study drawings.
History & Provenance
Created at the turn of the twentieth century, the print reflects Redon’s late‑period interest in portraiture and his experimentation with print media. Its provenance is recorded as part of Redon’s oeuvre of lithographs produced around 1900, though specific ownership details are not documented in the source material.
Context
At the time of its creation, Redon was engaging with Symbolist ideas while also exploring more direct, observational drawing techniques. The portrait of Pierre Bonnard—himself an emerging painter—suggests a personal or professional connection between the two artists within the Parisian avant‑garde circles.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Born Bertrand-Jean Redon on 20 April 1840 in Bordeaux, the artist adopted the name Odilon from his mother, Marie-Odile.
