Painted in 1915, this canvas depicts a motif embraced by Bonnard throughout his career: the domestic interior populated with people, pets and miscellaneous objects. A checked tablecloth stretches across much of the composition. The tabletop arrangement consists of a teapot, coffee cup and other randomly distributed domestic items. At the table’s edge, with her head downcast, Marthe de Méligny sips coffee with one of the couple’s dachshunds, seemingly unaware of Bonnard’s presence. To the right of the painting, a portion of a wall is cut off. This peculiar use of perspective gives the impression that you, the viewer, are a part of the scene depicted.
Pierre Bonnard
French 1867–1947
Coffee (Le Café) 1915
oil on canvas
73.0 × 106.5 cm
Tate, London
Presented by Sir Michael Sadler through the NACF, 1941 (N05414)
Photo © Tate
