Bonnard And the Nabis

by Albert Kostenevich

Pierre Bonnard was the leader of a group of post-impressionist painters who called themselves the Nabis, from the Hebrew word meaning `prophet'. Bonnard, Vuillard, Roussel and Denis, the most distinguished of the Nabis, revolutionized the spirit of decorative techniques during one of the richest periods in the history of French painting. Influenced by Odilon Redon and Puvis de Chavanne, by popular imagery and Japanese etchings, this post-impressionist group was above all a close circle of friends who shared the same cultural background and interests. An increasing individualism in their art often threatened the group's unity and although tied together by a common philosophy their work clearly diverged. This publication lets us compare and put into perspective the artists within this fascinating group.

The works presented in this collection offer a palette of extraordinary poetic expressions: candid in Bonnard, ornamental and mysterious in Vuillard, gently dream-like in Denis, grim and almost bitter in Vallotton, the author shares with us the lives of these artists to the very source of their creative gifts.

Genres: Art

208 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1996

About the author

Albert Kostenevich (1937 - ) was the chief curator of European painting & curator of French painting at the Hermitage Museum in Leningrad.

Reviews

[Bruce Harry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A pleasant introduction to Bonnard, et al

This is a pleasant introduction to Bonnard and several of the other artists who comprised Les Nabis. The illustrations are more accessible in this volume, and I only wish the author would have expanded the historical narratives for each painter.

[Elior · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic book for its many, many reproductions, all in full color. Mostly of works by Bonnard of course but also of others who were part of the "Nabi" grouping: Vuillard, Denis, Vallotton; and the occasional artist in a nearby orbit. The text in the sections on Bonnard's life and the post-Impressionist age generally are fine and adequate. The middle Masterworks section goes into details about Bonnard's individual paintings, but only those held in Russia by the Hermitage and Pushkin museums.