Pierre Bonnard, 1867-1947

Femme Assise dans sa Baignoire. Woman in her Bath

Circa 1942

Original lithograph in colours. 1942. Signed in the stone. Edition – see note below. Drawn by Bonnard on lithographic transfer paper in his studio at Le Cannet. Printed at the studio of Arte Lithographie, Imprimerie DeVaye, Nice. Edition issued as the cover of the brochure programme for a 1942 Maurice Chevalier charity concert in aid of children suffering in wartime and also artists impoverished by war.

Reference: Bouvet – Bonnard The Graphic Work no. 115.

Extremely fine fresh impression with sparkling colours.  

Note re the edition: The lithograph was printed in an edition of 1000. It was combined with three pages of text, including a reproduction of a Bonnard  pen-drawn portrait of Maurice Chevalier (then one of the world’s most famous singers and with his trademark straw boater), to form a four-page programme for the concert. Out of this edition some 300-350 examples of the programme were sold at the concert. The c. 650 programmes remaining after the concert were divided up. The three pages of text (including the reproduction pen drawing) were destroyed. The separated lithographs were stored by the printers. Around 1944 during the fighting for the liberation of Southern France a large amount of this stored edition was lost or damaged.

The impression above is one of the c. 350 surviving impressions. It is in pristine original condition with the colours glowing and  perfect.

On the original smooth surface heavy wove paper. Sheet: 248 x 320mm. Image: 248 x 287mm.