"Bonnard" (Pierre Bonnard L'oeuvre d'art un arret du temps), running from February 2 to May 9, 2006, was the reopening exhibition at the Paris Municipal Museum of Modern Art this spring. This solo show of the Nabi and Fauve master, long absent for French audiences, though not labeled a retrospective, effectively functions as one, presenting important works from every stage of his life. Among more than a hundred splendid masterpieces, viewers systematically encountered his most famous sensual bathers, vibrant still lifes, emotive figures, brilliant interior scenes, and bright, colorful landscapes. It was Paris's most popular exhibition this spring, with frequent long queues.
Pierre Bonnard (1867–1947) was a French painter who participated in the Nabi movement early on. Deeply influenced by Japanese ukiyo-e, he became a colorist and the most adept color master among the Fauves, earning the title "Magician of Color." He excelled at using the most lyrical, tangible, and emotional colors to reveal his keen, brilliant world.
