In 1896, art critic André Mellerio observed, ‘What makes M. Bonnard at heart is his charm, for which he has an innate gift ... He is noteworthy for his characteristically amusing observations of animals –
cats, roosters, dogs – which have easily recognizable silhouettes in his work. His intimate understanding of these beings is made manifest through their baroque poses, supple, tense spines, muzzles thrust into the air, and wild gangly frolicking’. In this composition, the empty architectural background brilliantly foregrounds two dogs caught in the initial overtures of scent-based introduction.
Pierre Bonnard
French 1867–1947
Two dogs in a deserted street (Les Chiens à Eragny) c. 1894
oil on wood
35.1 × 27.0 cm
National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
Ailsa Mellon Bruce Collection, 1970 (1970.17.3)
Photo: National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
