Woods in Summer

Painted in 1927 and held at the Phillips Collection, this summer woodland subject belongs to Bonnard's engagement with densely vegetated landscape in full summer growth. Woods in summer — where light filters through canopy, creating complex patterns of illumination and shadow — provided a subject distinct from the open garden or coastal panorama. By 1927 Bonnard was moving between Vernonnet and Le Cannet, and the woods of the Seine valley in summer were part of his regular landscape experience. The Phillips Collection's holding situates this woodland subject within the broader context of his mature landscape practice.

The dense summer canopy creates a complex pattern of dappled light — filtered greens and yellows, with deep shadow in the understory. The brushwork is varied in direction and pressure, building the layered vegetation through accumulated marks. The palette ranges from acid yellow-green to deep viridian.