Pierre BONNARD French 1867–1947 Siesta — The artist's studio 1900 oil on canvas 109.0 x 132.0 cm Felton Bequest 1949 2053-4		The erotic overtone of this work is achieved not only from the languorous natural pose of the model, but also from the context of the contemporary boudoir with an unmistakably modern woman asleep on ruffled bedclothes. Little is left to the imagination as to how she attained this relaxed state. The setting is the bedroom in his studio, and the model is Bonnard's longtime lover Marthe de Moligny. Yet Bonnard imbued this contemporary treatment of the nude with a sense of classicism. He had a sound knowledge of art history, which he formally studied, and in this painting he posed Marthe like the ancient Greek statue, the Hermaphrodite. That statue was famous for its obvious eroticism and was used for inspiration by many artists. The reference would not have
		List other works from the Master's Eye exhibition © Pierre Bonnard, 1900/ADAGP. Licensed by VISCOPY, Sydney 2000.