Nursemaids’ Promenade, Frieze of Carriages

1895

Nursemaids’ Promenade, Frieze of Carriages, 1895. Pierre Bonnard (French, 1867–1947). Color lithograph; sheet: 137 x 48.4 cm (53 15/16 x 19 1/16 in.); image: 137 x 48.4 cm (53 15/16 x 19 1/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Nancy and Joseph P. Keithley by exchange 2008.31.d © Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York This charming scene of a nanny and her three charges extends across four panels meant to be mounted as a folding screen. Pierre Bonnard emulated the solidly colored flat forms of Japanese color woodcut prints, which he collected. He featured the screen in his first solo exhibition at Paris's prestigious Galeries Durand-Ruel in 1896. Although this screen was issued in an edition of 110, only about 20 copies survive today.