Almond Tree in Blossom
date uncertain
Pierre Bonnard
My aesthetics tutor would remind us after each tutorial in Spring "Go and look at some cherry blossom". Here is Pierre Bonnard painting almond blossom. This is a lovely painting which revels in strong sunlight exploding off the white and pink flowers.
Bonnard and his peers wanted to take art beyond Impressionism, filling it with meaning, expressive emotion and symbolism. It's easy to imagine that Bonnard was inspired by the sight of this tree. He seems to have gone to lengths to depict the sharp angles of the older lower branches, and set them against the frothy blossom. And perhaps this is more than simple contrast. Is Bonnard rejoicing at the yearly emergence of beauty out of old and unpromising stock?
For people who know their Bibles, the almond branch bursting into bloom was the vision of reassurance given to the Prophet Jeremiah. Perhaps it was a vision for Bonnard too.
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