"In the south of France Bonnard heightened his colours to achieve an equivalent for the intensity of the light. From the evidence of his paintings he was fully aware of the complex issues involved in the representation of light... Light, in combination with colour, became a key factor in the organisation of a painting. Objects are broken up by light in patterns of colour across the surface, surface and pictorial depth becomes part of the content of a painting." (N. Watkins, exh. cat., Bonnard, London, 1992)