Bonnard was profoundly influenced by Japanese woodblock prints. These three prints are examples of the types he would have had access to in Paris in the 1890s, Utamaro being an artist particularly familiar to European circles. These prints all show women going about their daily life, a subject typical of Bonnard’s early work, although Bonnard never ventured into the realm of the courtesan. They also show the bright colors and printed clothing typical of Japanese woodblock prints, as well as close-ups and figure cropping, all styles that Bonnard adapted for use in his paintings.
From left to right: The Courtesan Toukasa-dayu, Choki (ca. 1770s), Courtesan Wekaume WIth Maidservant, Utamaro (ca. 1790s), Two Beauties at Bamboo Shade, Utamaro (ca. 1795)