Study for "La Valse" [verso]
1891/1893
![Study for "La Valse" [verso] by Pierre Bonnard](https://images.artheonmuseum.org/nga/thumb/study-for-la-valse-verso-nga-106731.webp)
Medium
pen and black ink over graphite
Dimensions
overall: 22.2 x 10.9 cm (8 3/4 x 4 5/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Virginia and Ira Jackson Collection
Accession Number
2001.136.29.b
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* ...
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...