The intimate domestic interiors of Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947) are universally popular with art lovers. Less well known is his highly accomplished early work as an illustrator. His strongly coloured and boldly designed paintings of the 1890s, when he was associated with the Nabis group of painters, demonstrate his subtle energy and his acute sensitivity.

In this monumental reassessment of Bonnard's life and work, Nicholas Watkins sets forth in a refreshing and dextrously argued thesis that Bonnard was not a sentimental survivor of Impressionism as some have claimed, but a highly innovative artist, constantly responding to new formal challenges, and one of the twentieth century's greatest colourists. Paintings, graphic work, lithographs and sketches are reproduced and examined in depth, providing a definitive study of this foremost and highly influential artist. This volume comprises an up-to-date, original and significant interpretation of this artist's dynamic career, displaying Watkins' own eloquence and intellectual rigour as well as the sophistication and unusual aestheticism of Bonnard.