Petites Scenes Familières

Artist Pierre Bonnard (French, 1867-1947)

Publisher E. Fromont, éditeur, Paris, [1895]

Printer Crevel Frères, Paris (M. Fleurot, gr.)

Author Franc-Nohain (French, 1873-1934)

Author Franc-Nohain (poetry) (French, 1873--1934)

Date[1895]

DimensionsBook: H: 14 in. (355 mm); W: 10 7/8 in. (277 mm); Depth: 5/16 in. (8 mm).
Page: H: 13 13/16 in. (351 mm); W: 10 5/8 in. (270 mm).

MediumOriginal prints: 20 lithographs (incl. front wrapper) on cream wove paper

ClassificationBooks

Credit LineGift of Molly and Walter Bareiss

Object number

1984.276

Not on View

Label TextThese are Bonnard's first original illustrations. The sheet music is by his brother-in-law Terrasse, a piano teacher and composer of light music. Pierre Bonnard, Petit solfège illustré (Little Illustrated Music Theory Book). Music by Claude Terrasse (1893) Pierre Bonnard, Petites scènes familières pour piano (Intimate Little Scenes for Piano). Music by Claude Terrasse, Lyrics by Franc-Nohain (1895) The French artist Pierre Bonnard had tried in the1890s to enter the lucrative business of illustrating sheet music covers. Although unsuccessful, this effort inspired him to collaborate with his brother-in-law, the composer and teacher Claude Terrasse, on a music theory book for children. The result was Bonnard’s first illustrated book, Petit solfège illustré. Although Terrasse’s text was dry, Bonnard’s illustrations were amusing and inventive. Two years later, Bonnard collaborated with Terrasse on an edition of piano music for use in the home. The book featured such family-oriented songs by Terrasse as the lullaby Do, do, l'enfant, do, (Sleep, Sleep, Baby, Sleep) and Chanson du grand-père (Grandfather’s Song). The poet Franc-Nohain wrote the lyrics. Bonnard worked on the designs while he was visiting Terrasse and his sister in the little town of Arcachon. His sister’s family and the town became the models for many of the images. The lithographs, painted with brush and ink, were influenced by Japanese art.Published Referencescf. Bouvet, Francis, Bonnard: The Complete Graphic Work, New York, 1981, nos. 5-24, reprs.

cf. Ives, Colta, Helen Giambruni, Sasha M. Newman, Pierre Bonnard: The Graphic Art, New York, 1989, no. 40

cf. Garvey, Eleanor M., The Artist & the Book, 1860--1960, Boston, 1961, no. 25

cf. Cate, Phillip Dennis, et al., Prints Abound: Paris in the 1890s, from the Collections of Virginia and Ira Jackson and the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., 2000, no. 117

cf. Hogben, Carol, Rowan Watson, editors, From Manet to Hockney: Modern Artists’ Illustrated Books, London, 1985, no. 8.

Exhibition HistoryToledo Museum of Art, Artists and Printers: Prints and Books from the Late 19th Century, Nov. 22, 1994- Feb. 26, 1995 (no cat.)

Toledo Museum of Art, The Bareiss Collection of Modern Illustrated Books from Toulouse-Lautrec to Kiefer, 1985, no.6

Toledo Museum of Art, Splendid Pages: The Molly and Walter Bareiss Collection of Modern Illustrated Books, Feb. 14--May 11, 2003

Toledo Museum of Art, Strong Sensations: Impressionism and Symbolist Works on Paper, 1860-1900, Apr. 23-Jun. 20 2010 (no cat.).