Sketches including "A Promenade in Fancy Hats"

Art Historical Context

Pierre Bonnard's *Sketches including "A Promenade in Fancy Hats"* (1891/1893) offers a delightful glimpse into the early career of this French Post-Impressionist master. Created when Bonnard was in his mid-20s and actively involved with the avant-garde Les Nabis group, the work captures his budding talent for capturing everyday scenes with whimsy and precision. As a member of this Symbolist-influenced circle, Bonnard drew inspiration from Japanese prints and Paul Gauguin, blending decorative patterns with intimate observations of modern life. Executed in pen and brush with black ink on smooth wove paper (20.6 x 30.8 cm), this drawing showcases Bonnard's fluid line work and spontaneous energy. The sheet features multiple vignettes, highlighted by the titular promenade of figures in elaborate, fanciful hats—a nod to the fashionable Belle Époque era. Such sketches were vital to Bonnard's process, serving as quick studies that informed his later vibrant paintings of domestic bliss and urban leisure. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's CG-E Department through the generous gift of Mr. and Mrs. Neil Phillips, this piece reveals the foundational draftsmanship behind Bonnard's luminous color world, inviting visitors to appreciate the playful roots of his enduring legacy.

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...