Pierre Bonnard Sketch Studies

I was totally enchanted by an exhibit of Pierre Bonnard's later paintings, mostly of interiors, that are currently on view at the Met in New York. My particular fascination was with the thumbnail sketches that accompanied the paintings. Some were on scraps of paper, some in sketchbooks or journals mixed in with lists and notes. Most were pencil sketches but some had watercolor or goache as well. Apparently he did not paint his interiors as still lifes but often scribbled down scenes and returned to paint from his sketched notes later. The interiors and household items were familiar to him, many show up in multiple paintings, but the compositions were captured as he noticed them and stored away for future paintings. His somewhat unusual cropping of figures shows up in the sketches too. In some cases the paintings that resulted from the sketches were on view and it was great to see his process more fully... almost made me want to pick up a paintbrush instead of my usual paper and glue! On the wall of the exhibition, the following quote from Bonnard seemed most appropriate to the show and most profound... "I'm trying to do what I've never done, give the impression one has on entering a room: one sees everything and at the same time nothing." So glad I got to see this show... sometimes it's the story behind the work that really adds meaning -- his sketches were quickly captured and really wonderful to see in combination with the finished paintings. As usual, I wish I'd had time to linger longer!