In-text plate (page 43) from Daphnis et Chloé
Pierre Bonnard
French, 1867–1947
1902
A small lithograph Bonnard made to illustrate the 1902 edition of Daphnis et Chloé, intended to evoke a shadowy, dreamlike woodland moment in the story.
What strikes you is the grainy, sketchlike wash of leaves and branches pierced by a dense, dark silhouette at the right—its tactile lithographic texture and the surrounding French text make the image feel both intimate and narrative-driven.
Bonnard’s delicate, tonal lithographs helped shift book illustration toward a more atmospheric, painterly approach, bridging late‑19th‑century visual sensibilities and modern illustrated book design.
Medium
One from an illustrated book with 156 lithographs (including wrapper front)
Dimensions
composition (irreg.): 5 15/16 × 5 9/16" (15.1 × 14.2 cm); page (each): 11 7/16 × 9 3/8" (29 × 23.8 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
The Louis E. Stern Collection
Accession
685.1964.26
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
