Two acquisitions for the Musée Bonnard

8/2/24 - Acquisitions - Le Cannet, Musée Bonnard - It’s not really a portrait. When he painted little Isabelle Lecomte du Noüy in Le Cannet in 1929, Pierre Bonnard captured all the charm of childhood under his brush (ill. 1). The little girl is sitting on a bench, with the painter’s dog by her side; she raises her head, her face lit up with a broad smile, and her closed eyes reinforce this sense of joy. The unfinished aspect of the composition accentuates the impression of spontaneity. Bonnard kept the work until his death, reworking it several times.

This oil painting was preempted by the town of Le Cannet, and sold for 256,000 euros (including fees) at the Ader sale in Paris on November 24. Its acquisition was made possible with the help of the Fonds du Patrimoine, which contributed 80,000 euros, while the Regional Department of Cultural Affairs undertook to provide a grant through the Regional Scientific Commission.

1. Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947)
Little Girl with a Dog or Isabelle Lecomte du Noüy with Bonnard’s Dog at Le Cannet, 1929-1932
Oil on canvas - 51 x 63 cm
Le Cannet, Musée Bonnard
Photo: Musée Bonnard

See the image in its page

In reality, Pierre Bonnard painted Little Isabelle twice in 1929. The other painting adopts a similar composition: the little girl is seated on the green bench, while the dog has rested its head on her lap (ill. 2). This second, more accomplished work was kept by Isabelle’s father, and remained in the family until it was sold by Christie’s in 2005. Preparatory drawings, one at Galerie Bailly, others have been on auction.

The painting acquired by Le Cannet has been exhibited several times, so it is better known than the other, and art historian André Fermigier describes it as follows: "Bonnard [...] made this little girl a symbol of childhood remarkable for its lyrical power and intensity of expression. It is one of the rare faces painted by Bonnard on which one can read a feeling: the joy of living, of…