“For Bonnard, the still-life offered a perfect vehicle for his studies in light and color, with bundles of flowers and fruit among his favorite subjects to explore. In the present bouquet, a bright summer arrangement dominated by a group of orange ranunculuses, the flowers have begun to droop, their full, heavy blossoms dipping downwards, over the edge of the ceramic blue vase. According to the artist’s former housekeeper Antoinette Isnard, Bonnard never painted the flowers that she picked for him straight away: “He let the flowers wilt and then he started painting; he said that way they would have more presence” (quoted in S. Whitfield, op. cit., 1998, p. 28). Indeed, Bonnard rarely painted from life, claiming himself too distracted by the object in front of him to create anything true. Instead, he preferred to make pencil sketches and notations in the small diaries he carried with them, which he would use, along with his memory, once in the studio. “Untruth is cutting out a piece of nature and copying it…” the artist proclaimed. “I have all my subjects to hand. I go and look at them. I take notes. Then I go home. And before I start painting I reflect, I dream” (quoted in ibid., p. 9). As such, still-life paintings such as Renoncules au vase bleu can be viewed as contemplative artistic meditations, drawn from the reservoir of Bonnard’s perceptions and impressions gathered during the course of his day to day life, which he then transformed through his own unique painterly vision.”
READ FULL ESSAY: Christie’s
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Pierre Bonnard at The Art Story
Bonnard, Pierre, Colta Feller Ives, Helen Emery Giambruni, and Sasha M. Newman. 1989. Pierre Bonnard, the graphic art. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art. http://libmma.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15324coll10/id/92079 , (accessed 8 Nov 2018).
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Art by Theme at Giverny Museum of Impressionism
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At Sunnyside - Where Truth and Beauty Meet 
Beautiful painting!
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I love color in the morning! I am so pleased you enjoy this , Mitzy. 🙂🌺
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The native Ranunculus species in Texas don’t look like these, which are likely cultivated varieties. The ones here are yellow, simpler, and smaller.
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How interesting – thanks, Steve. 🌺
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Even the fanciest one here isn’t like those in the painting:
https://portraitsofwildflowers.wordpress.com/2019/03/30/large-buttercup-flower-and-bud/
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Oh, I see what you mean. Very different. Thanks, Steve.
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We have ranunculus here, beautiful flowers. They are related to the common buttercup I think.
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They really are lovely. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Christine. 🙂🌺
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What a beautiful Bonnard still life. I love Bonnard. This one has a wonderful violet and yellow contrast. It’s so cheering!
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Yes! He is a master of color, isn’t he? Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Aletha. 😎🌺
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Bonnard is one of my favorite artists, but this painting is new to me, and reading about his process was so interesting. This painting may be one of my new favorites. The colors are so rich, and the whole composition sings.
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He is one of my favorites, too. I am so pleased you enjoy this one, Deborah. 😎🌺
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Beautiful painting.
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😎🌺
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I am catching up with your posts (I have been swamped with work – not a bad thing. LOL) I love the colors in this. They are bright and cheerful. Have a wonderful day!
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Work is good! (until you need a break lol) 🙂🌺
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Wow! Such gorgeous color and texture.
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I love these colors, too. Energy!!! 😎🌺
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gorgeous colours. 😊
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I’m pleased you enjoy this, Giadreams. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. 🙂🌺
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