Roger Bonafé Interior Chair Still Life with Cloth and Umbrella Oil Pastel

Title
Roger Bonafé Interior Chair Still Life with Cloth and Umbrella Oil Pastel

Key Details
Artist: Roger Bonafé (French, b.1932), signed
Medium: Oil pastel on thick art paper
Size: 29.75 x 20 inches
Frame: Unframed
Provenance: Private collection, France
Condition: Good overall condition

Description
A quietly striking interior composition by Roger Bonafé, capturing a simple chair, draped cloth, and umbrella with remarkable restraint and sensitivity.

Rendered in oil pastel, the work is defined by its pared-back palette of soft greys, blacks, and muted whites. Bonafé’s handling is confident yet economical—forms are reduced to their essentials, with strong contour lines and subtle tonal shifts creating depth and structure. The draped cloth introduces a gentle softness against the more rigid geometry of the chair, while the umbrella adds a vertical counterpoint, giving the composition balance and quiet tension.

There is a distinctly modernist sensibility at play, echoing mid-century European interiors where everyday objects are elevated through composition and tone. The textured surface of the paper enhances the tactile quality of the pastel, lending the piece a raw, almost sculptural presence.

This work sits comfortably within Bonafé’s broader practice—his ability to distil a scene to its essence, combined with a disciplined palette, results in a piece that feels both contemplative and timeless. A sophisticated and understated work, ideal for collectors drawn to minimalist interiors and modern French painting.