The Woman Behind the Bather

Marthe de Méligny is the long term partner, wife and muse of the painter Pierre Bonnard. Her familiar figure – dark bob, heavy fringe, stooped shoulders - is a constant presence in the painter’s depiction of domestic interiors, daily rituals and garden scenes. The pair met in 1893 and until her death in 1942 de Méligny’s figure recurs within Bonnard’s work to an extent which is remarkable in modern painting. Over the last fifty years there has been much speculation about de Méligny’s character and the nature of the Bonnard marriage. This speculation is based on historical rumour, leaving contemporary audiences with many questions. Who is the woman behind the myth of Marthe and why is she critical to understanding Bonnard’s art?