Pierre Bonnard - the colour of memory : the C C Land exhibition

Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947) was one of a generation of artists thathelped transform painting during the first half of the twentieth century. As a painter, he preferred to work from memory - imaginativelycapturing the spirit of a moment and expressing it through his uniquehandling of colour and unconventional choice of composition. Focusing on Bonnard's work from 1912-47, this book presents avariety of landscapes and intimate domestic scenes which capturethe passage of time.

These works are the artist's memories creativelyreconstructed to convey a sense of sensuality or melancholy.

As wellas looking at his processes, his reliance on photography and his abilityto work on different subjects side-by-side, this book relocates Bonnardin the turbulent history of his times.

Although modest and withdrawn,he was a subtle witness to events - both in the wider world and hismore intimate circle - that can be seen to define the ways in which hethought about and made his very personal art. Channelling to the heart of Bonnard's position as an artist whomaintained continuities with the past while developing an individualexpression of his engagement with the world, this sumptuouslyillustrated book reveals Bonnard's transition from great colouristto Modernist master, and emphasises his place within the story oftwentieth-century art.