Fruit Bowl 1914

This oil painting of a fruit bowl was made by Pierre Bonnard at an unknown date. The surface is lightly worked with small brushstrokes of greens, yellows, and oranges, creating a warm sensation. I wonder, was Bonnard having trouble getting started, pushing the paint around until an image emerged? The tabletop tilts up, as though seen from multiple viewpoints all at once. The orange fruit sits front and center, surrounded by yellows, with greens tucked behind. What’s going on back there? Maybe Bonnard was thinking about Cézanne, but the repetition of the shapes also reminds me of Matisse. There is a conversation across generations, where each artist reimagines what painting can do. Bonnard embraces uncertainty, showing us that there are many ways to see the same thing.