Bonnard - The Bathing Woman

Pierre Bonnard (1867–1947) was a French painter who, in his early years, participated in the Nabis movement and was deeply influenced by Japanese ukiyo-e prints. He became a colorist and is considered the most adept at mastering color among the Fauves, earning the title "Magician of Color." He excelled at revealing his keen, brilliant world through the most lyrical and tangible sensual colors.

Bonnard was a painter of domestic life. This exquisite and perfect The Bathing Woman is one of his most mature series works. His bathing women are mostly depicted in modern bathrooms, particularly featuring mirror reflections, colored tiles, bathtubs, and so on. In this painting, the bathing woman leans against the bathtub; the artist emphasizes the sensual body, colored tiles, and a chair covered with a colorful bathrobe against the backlight, revealing his intimate sensual world from these most ordinary everyday appearances.