Salon des Cent
- Date
- 1896
- Material
- Color lithograph
- printed in
- Paris, Île-de-France region, France, Europe
- Classification
- Posters, prints
- Collection
- Prints, Drawings, and Photographs
- Current Location
- Not on view
- Dimensions
- image: 24 1/8 x 16 9/16 in. (61.3 x 42 cm)
sheet: 25 1/2 x 19 5/8 in. (64.8 x 49.8 cm) - Credit Line
- The Sidney S. and Sadie Cohen Print Purchase Fund
- Rights
- Public Domain
- Object Number
- 197:1966
NOTES
In only a few sweeping, graceful lines, Pierre Bonnard portrayed a Parisienne (Parisian woman). The Parisienne construct was considered a symbol of modern femininity, embodying beauty, elegance, and independence in the late 19th century. This woman wears the veritable uniform of the Parisienne of the 1890s: a slim dress with dramatic leg-of-mutton sleeves, chic black gloves, and a fashionable hat embellished with lace, flowers, and a half veil. Even the small dog in the lower corner identifies her as a well-established woman of wealth. The dog also adds a playfully impudent note to the image, as the woman seems to gently scold her pet.
This print was intended to be a poster for the Salon des Cent, a short-lived annual exhibition (1894–1900) that featured avant-garde prints and posters, offered for sale at reasonable prices for middle-class consumers. Innovations in color printing in the 1890s, embraced by intrepid artists like Bonnard, elevated these posters from mere advertisements to works of art.
This print was intended to be a poster for the Salon des Cent, a short-lived annual exhibition (1894–1900) that featured avant-garde prints and posters, offered for sale at reasonable prices for middle-class consumers. Innovations in color printing in the 1890s, embraced by intrepid artists like Bonnard, elevated these posters from mere advertisements to works of art.
Provenance
1966/06/09
In auction [“Auktion 121: Moderne Kunst, Des Neunzehnten und Zwanzigsten Jahrhunderts,” Kornfeld and Klipstein, Berne, Switzerland, no. 89, p. 17, ill. Tafel 80] [1]
1966
Robert M. Light & Co., Inc., Boston, MA, USA [2]
1966 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from Robert M. Light & Co., Inc. [3]
Notes:
[1] The auction catalogue states [originally in German] that the lots are from “Parts of the Collections F. von B., Dr. Th. H., B. S., R . V. St., and other holdings from various Swiss and foreign private collections.” The entry for lot number 89 does not list any provenance information. “Auktion 121: Moderne Kunst, Des Neunzehnten und Zwanzigsten Jahrhunderts,” Kornfeld and Klipstein, Berne, Switzerland, no. 89, p. 17, ill. Tafel 80.
[2] Invoice from Robert M. Light & Co., Inc., dated September 29, 1966 [SLAM document files].
[3] Minutes of the Administrative Board of Control and Associate Members of the Board of Control of the City Art Museum, September 22, 1966.
In auction [“Auktion 121: Moderne Kunst, Des Neunzehnten und Zwanzigsten Jahrhunderts,” Kornfeld and Klipstein, Berne, Switzerland, no. 89, p. 17, ill. Tafel 80] [1]
1966
Robert M. Light & Co., Inc., Boston, MA, USA [2]
1966 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, purchased from Robert M. Light & Co., Inc. [3]
Notes:
[1] The auction catalogue states [originally in German] that the lots are from “Parts of the Collections F. von B., Dr. Th. H., B. S., R . V. St., and other holdings from various Swiss and foreign private collections.” The entry for lot number 89 does not list any provenance information. “Auktion 121: Moderne Kunst, Des Neunzehnten und Zwanzigsten Jahrhunderts,” Kornfeld and Klipstein, Berne, Switzerland, no. 89, p. 17, ill. Tafel 80.
[2] Invoice from Robert M. Light & Co., Inc., dated September 29, 1966 [SLAM document files].
[3] Minutes of the Administrative Board of Control and Associate Members of the Board of Control of the City Art Museum, September 22, 1966.
We regularly update records, which may be incomplete. If you have additional information, please contact us at provenance@slam.org.