.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
A passionate observer of modern life, Bonnard was not only riveted by social spectacle but specifically by the depiction of a momentary glimpse--influenced in great part by the burgeoning popularity of photography. Painted in 1894, Aux Courses reveals Bonnard's fascination with the elegant and colorful figures he observed in that setting. The decadent culture, marked by lavish costumes and the fashionable flaneur provided fertile material for the artist.
In the present picture, Bonnard follows a strong tradition of equestrian painting established by artists such as Gericault, Delacroix, Manet, Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec. In fact, it is during this same year that Bonnard maintained a strong personal relationship to Toulouse-Lautrec. Lautrec's fin-de-siècle symbolism and vibrant colors impressed Bonnard, as did Lautrec's fascination with the theme of the spectator observing the activities of others. In the present work, the graceful delineation of the figures against the skillfully rendered ribbon of a crowd bears testament to the influence of these artists. Chevrier observes that Bonnard's painting "contains elements of the Symbolist imagination he also experimented, flattening his figures against their background or creating a cut-out effect in order to give them a shadowy, ghost-like appearance." (Bonnard, The late paintings, exh. cat., The Phillips Collection, 1984, p. 92).
As so often in the paintings of Bonnard, the artist strikes a balance between the energy and vibrancy of the palette and the contemplative nature of the moment. Bonnard chose the moment that the horses were sauntering to the gate rather than a moment of speed. This created an opportunity for the artist to both observe the relationship of the crowd to the horse and riders but also to create atmosphere within a specific moment.
In the present picture, Bonnard follows a strong tradition of equestrian painting established by artists such as Gericault, Delacroix, Manet, Degas and Toulouse-Lautrec. In fact, it is during this same year that Bonnard maintained a strong personal relationship to Toulouse-Lautrec. Lautrec's fin-de-siècle symbolism and vibrant colors impressed Bonnard, as did Lautrec's fascination with the theme of the spectator observing the activities of others. In the present work, the graceful delineation of the figures against the skillfully rendered ribbon of a crowd bears testament to the influence of these artists. Chevrier observes that Bonnard's painting "contains elements of the Symbolist imagination he also experimented, flattening his figures against their background or creating a cut-out effect in order to give them a shadowy, ghost-like appearance." (Bonnard, The late paintings, exh. cat., The Phillips Collection, 1984, p. 92).
As so often in the paintings of Bonnard, the artist strikes a balance between the energy and vibrancy of the palette and the contemplative nature of the moment. Bonnard chose the moment that the horses were sauntering to the gate rather than a moment of speed. This created an opportunity for the artist to both observe the relationship of the crowd to the horse and riders but also to create atmosphere within a specific moment.