Young Woman in Black Stockings (Jeune femme aux bas noirs)

Art Historical Context

Step into the intimate world of Pierre Bonnard *Young Woman in Black Stock (Jeune femme aux bas)*, a captivating lithograph from 1893. Created early in the artist's career, this black-ink print on wove paper depicts a poised young woman, her form evocatively framed by dark stockings against a simple background. Measuring just 28.9 x 12.6 cm, its modest scale invites close viewing, drawing us into Bonnard's signature blend of everyday sensuality and decorative elegance. Bonnard, a key figure in the Nabis movement—a group of Post-Impressionist artists in fin-de-siècle Paris who prized pattern, color, and emotional depth—excelled in printmaking. Lithography, his chosen medium here, allowed fluid, painterly lines drawn with greasy crayon on a stone slab, then transferred to paper for multiples. This technique suited Bonnard's posters and intimate scenes, bridging fine art and popular culture amid the era's booming print industry. Housed in the National Gallery of Art's Virginia and Ira Jackson Collection (Department CG-E), this work exemplifies Bonnard's early exploration of modern femininity, foreshadowing his lifelong fascination with domestic light and form. A gem for print enthusiasts, it whispers of Paris's vibrant 1890s artistic scene. (198 words)

About the Artist

Pierre Bonnard · 1867–1947

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...