Gaston Lévy, Paris (sale: Hôtel Drouot, Paris, 17th November 1932, lot 53)
William & Edith Mayer Goetz, Los Angeles (acquired by 1959; sale: Christie's, New York, Property from the collection of William & Edith Mayer Goetz, 14th November 1988, lot 4)
Sale: Christie's, London, 26th June 2001, lot 184
Purchased at the above sale by the previous owner (sale: Christie's, London, 5th February 2008, lot 375)
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

San Francisco, Palace of the Legion of Honor, The Collection of Mr & Mrs William Goetz, 1959, no. 2, illustrated in the catalogue
Tokyo, Museum of Fine Art Sompo Japan Seiji Togo (& travelling in Japan), Pierre Bonnard, 2004, no. 13, illustrated in the catalogue
Rome, Complesso del Vittoriano, Matisse e Bonnard, Viva la pittura!, 2006-2007, no. 209, illustrated in the catalogue

François-Joachim Beer, Pierre Bonnard, Marseille, 1947, pl. 54, illustrated p. 74
Jean & Henry Dauberville, Bonnard, Catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre peint 1888-1905, Paris, 🌞1965, vol. I, no. 336, illustrated p. 3♔03

The canvas is laid down on board and the board is stable. There appear to be no signs of retouching visible under UV light. There is a small loss to the lower left corner and two tiny losses towards the lower right corner, none visible when framed. Otherwise, this work is in overall very good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

 By the turn of the century, Bonnard was one of the best established painters of his time, his success stemming from the popularity of his intimate depictions of domestic interiors and Paris scenes, as well as his keen draughtsmanship. He continued to mature as an artist, and his style slowly began to shift back to the naturalism which he had rejected during his Nabis years. He became more attentive to issues such as colour, space and light, as well as the anatomy and gesture of his models. Discussing Bonnard's works of the early years of the twentieth century, James Elliot commented that 'it was then that Bonnard assimilated into his own style the technical means of the impressionists – short brush strokes, lighter tonal values, sophisticated hue relationships' (J. Elliot, B🦹onnard and His Environment (exhibition catalogue), The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1964, p. 24).

 

Portrait de Jeune femme ou Le chapeau is a strong example of this🐈 important transitional phase in Bonnard's oeuvre. This portrait is depicted in clear and soft palette of grey and white, with a hint of brown. In the early twentieth century, hats were the fashion mainstay for the modern woman, and they liked to have them as imposing and ostentatious as possible. It was Bonnard's admiration for Renoir that led him to emphasise his sitters' hats. Renoir was a great admirer of hats, and he even created his own extrava﷽gant hats for his female models to wear.