Montmartre in the rain

The French artist Pierre Bonnard painted this view of Paris from his attic studio in Montmartre. He depicted the rue Tholozé on a rainy evening, with a horse-drawn carriage and dark figures under umbrellas hurrying past brightly lit shop windows. The painting is typical of Bonnard's early style.

The grand houses and courtyard refer to the more intimate, secure life of Paris. The blank wall, placed emphatically in the centre, divides the scene, thus creating a daring composition. The large areas of colour, the oblique perspective and the dark silhouettes betray the influence of Japanese prints. Bonnard was fascinated by this view and by the rue Tholozé; over a number of years he included this view, or parts of it, in at least ten works.