Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947) is among the great artists whose work undoubtedly marked the 20th century. This book, which accompanies a major retrospective of the artist's work at the Musee d'art moderne de la Ville de Paris, shows how Bonnard's contribution to a 'modern' conception of painting makes him a decisive figure in the history of 20th-century art.

Starting from the turn of the century, and from the change that moment represented in Bonnard's work, the book looks at some of the recurrent themes in the artist's work - the nude, landscapes, terraces and windows, and self-portraits - and reveals an ongoing re-invention of his vision, drawing from his Nabi experience and leading the painter to the very brink of abstraction.

Including essays by a cast of distinguished writers, new interviews with those who knew Bonnard or whose work has been influenced by him, unpublished archival photographs and diary drawings, and full-colour reproductions of 100 paintings, this book provides a major reassessment of the artist's contribution to the history of modernism, as well as a beautifully produced record of his life and work.