Place Clichy 1922

Pierre Bonnard made this print, Place Clichy, with crayon, and maybe some pastel, to give it that hazy, dreamy feeling. The marks are loose, like he’s just letting his hand wander and explore the space. It feels like Bonnard’s more interested in atmosphere than detail. See how the colors kind of blend together? The browns and blues create a soft, almost smudged effect. Look at the faces of the people. They’re not super defined, more like impressions. It’s like he’s capturing a fleeting moment, the feeling of being in a crowd, rather than trying to paint a perfect portrait. Bonnard reminds me of Vuillard, another artist who loved to paint everyday life with a kind of intimate, personal touch. But where Vuillard can feel kind of claustrophobic, Bonnard always leaves a little room to breathe. It’s that openness, that willingness to let the image be a little ambiguous, that makes his work so appealing, don’t you think?