Edouard Vuillard

Key facts

Lived

1868–1940, French^[2]

Movements

• Nabis
• Post-Impressionism

^[2]

Works held in

94 museums^[6]

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• Edouard vuillard art movement?+

  Edouard Vuillard joined the Nabis^[2] in the early 1890s, a group of young painters. The Nabis took their name from the Hebrew word for prophets.
• What is Edouard Vuillard's most famous work?+

  It is difficult to identify one single "most famous" work by Edouard Vuillard. He produced a varied body of work, and his notability rests on several different achievements. Vuillard was born in Cuiseaux, France, in 1868^[2]. He studied at the École des Beaux-Arts and the Académie Julian before joining the Nabis^[2] group with artists such as Pierre Bonnard and Maurice Denis. During the 1890s, Vuillard was involved in group exhibitions and worked in theatre and the applied arts. One significant work is *At the Revue Blanche (Portrait of Felix Feneon)* (1901^[2]), which depicts Felix Feneon at his desk in the Paris office of the journal *La Revue Blanche*. Feneon, in addition to his work at the journal, was an art dealer who compiled a catalogue of Georges Seurat's work. Vuillard, Bonnard, and Felix Vallotton all portrayed Feneon. Another notable work is *Two Schoolboys* (1894), one of a series of nine panels commissioned for a Parisian dining room. These panels show Vuillard's impressions of Paris parks, with children playing and patterns of light and shadow.
• What should I know about Edouard Vuillard's prints?+

  Édouard Vuillard (1868^[2]-1940^[2]) was a French^[2] painter, decorative artist, and printmaker. He is associated with the Post-Impressionist group Les Nabis^[2]. Like other members of Les Nabis, Vuillard explored printmaking, often working in lithography. These prints share characteristics with his paintings, such as intimate domestic scenes and a muted colour palette. Vuillard contributed to various publications, including the periodical *La Revue Blanche*. This publication featured lithographs by various artists, and it provided an outlet for Vuillard's exploration of the medium. His prints often depict scenes of Parisian life, interiors, and portraits of friends and family. His prints are not always large in scale. Vincent van Gogh, in a letter, mentions *L'Illustration* and *Magasin Pittoresque* as examples of publications featuring smaller illustrations. He notes that artists like Théophile Schuler, Brion, and Jundt contributed to such publications, including the *Album des Vosges*.
• What style or movement did Edouard Vuillard belong to?+

  Édouard Vuillard is associated with the Nabis^[2], a group of French^[2] Post-Impressionist artists active in the 1890s. Vuillard met other future Nabis, including Maurice Denis and Ker-Xavier Roussel, while studying in Paris at the Lycée Condorcet and the Académie Julian. The Nabis (Hebrew for "prophets") were inspired by Paul Gauguin and Japanese art. Gauguin's Synthetism, which simplified forms into patterns and emphasised colour, influenced the group. The Nabis sought to express the spiritual in their art. Decorative art was a key interest; Maurice Denis stated that a picture is essentially colours arranged in a certain order. Vuillard's activities during the 1890s included group exhibitions, work in applied and decorative arts, and theatre design, all reflecting his membership in the Nabis. Like his close friend Pierre Bonnard, Vuillard created decorative panels. After the Nabis dissolved around 1900^[2], Vuillard moved toward a more naturalistic style. He is also considered an Intimist, because of his paintings of gentle domestic scenes.
• What techniques or materials did Edouard Vuillard use?+

  Édouard Vuillard is known for an intimate style, and he worked across several media. He trained at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, and his early work is associated with the Nabis^[2] group. Vuillard is particularly noted for his use of the peinture à la colle technique (glue-based paint). This matte distemper medium allowed him to create surfaces that absorb light, rather than reflect it. He often applied this to cardboard supports. This gave his paintings a distinctive, soft appearance, and it suited his interest in domestic interiors. In addition to peinture à la colle, Vuillard also worked with oil paint, pastel, and watercolour. He produced numerous prints, including lithographs. These prints often mirrored the subject matter of his paintings, with scenes of daily life and portraits of friends and family. He also designed theatre sets and screens. These activities demonstrate his versatility as an artist. Vuillard's choices of material were integral to his artistic vision, and they contributed to the intimate and personal character of his work.
• What was Edouard Vuillard known for?+

  Édouard Vuillard (1868^[2]-1940^[2]) was a French^[2] painter, printmaker, and decorative artist. He is best known for his association with the Nabis^[2], a Post-Impressionist avant-garde group. Vuillard's early work displays the influence of Paul Gauguin and Japanese prints. These pieces often feature flattened perspective, simplified forms, and non-naturalistic colour. He explored intimate domestic scenes, portraits, and interior settings. These works often depict his family and friends. As a member of the Nabis, Vuillard experimented with various media, including painting on cardboard and creating decorative panels. He aimed to break down the traditional hierarchy between fine art and decorative arts. His involvement with theatre design also influenced his artistic style. Later in his career, Vuillard moved towards a more naturalistic style, incorporating elements of Impressionism. He continued to paint portraits and interior scenes. He also accepted commissions for larger decorative projects. Though his style evolved, Vuillard remained committed to capturing the beauty of everyday life.
• When did Edouard Vuillard live and work?+

  Édouard Vuillard (1868^[2]-1940^[2]) was a French^[2] painter, printmaker, and stage designer. He is associated with the Post-Impressionist movement, and particularly with the group called Les Nabis^[2]. Vuillard's early life and artistic development occurred in Paris. He studied at the École des Beaux-Arts, and at the Académie Julian, where he met Pierre Bonnard, Maurice Denis, and other artists who would form the core of Les Nabis. This group, active in the 1890s, aimed to synthesise art with everyday life, often drawing inspiration from Japanese prints and decorative arts. Throughout his career, Vuillard primarily worked in France. He depicted domestic interiors, portraits, and scenes of Parisian life. His paintings often feature a muted colour palette and a flattened perspective, creating a sense of intimacy and quiet observation. He continued to paint and exhibit his work until his death in 1940^[2], leaving behind a substantial body of work that reflects his unique vision and artistic sensibilities.
• Where can I see Edouard Vuillard's work?+

  Edouard Vuillard's paintings and prints are held in many public collections. Several museums in France hold significant collections of his work. These include the Musée d'Orsay and the Musée National d'Art Moderne, both in Paris. Outside France, major holdings of Vuillard's art can be found in the United States. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has paintings by Vuillard, as does the Museum of Modern Art, also in New York. The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., also possesses examples of his paintings. In the United Kingdom, The Courtauld Gallery in London holds paintings and prints by Vuillard. These institutions allow researchers and the public to view his artistic output. Vuillard's works appear regularly in special exhibitions internationally, so checking museum websites for current displays is advisable. His prints are more widely available for viewing, due to their greater numbers and distribution.
• Where was edouard vuillard born?+

  Edouard Vuillard was born in 1868^[2] in France. Edouard Vuillard died in 1940^[2], aged 72.
• Where was Edouard Vuillard from?+

  Édouard Vuillard was born in Cuiseaux, Saône-et-Loire, in 1868^[2]. His early childhood was spent there and in the Rhône-Alpes region. However, his family moved to Paris in 1877^[2], when he was nine years old. Vuillard spent the rest of his life in Paris. He attended the École des Beaux-Arts, and later the Académie Julian in Paris. There, he met Pierre Bonnard and other artists with whom he would form the group Les Nabis^[2]. Although he travelled, particularly to London, Venice, and Spain in later life, Paris remained his home and the centre of his artistic activity. He died there in 1940^[2], at his home, 24 rue de la Tour, and was buried at the Cimetière de Batignolles.
• Who did Edouard Vuillard influence?+

  Edouard Vuillard (1868^[2]-1940^[2]) was initially destined for an army career. However, he enrolled at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in 1887^[2], studying under Maillart and Gerome. He then studied at the Academie Julian. Vuillard quickly joined the Nabis^[2], establishing a close friendship with Bonnard. His activities during the 1890s, including group exhibitions and work in the applied and decorative arts and for the theatre, reflect his membership of the Nabis. Around 1900, like Bonnard, Vuillard moved towards greater naturalism. Vuillard believed that the subject of a painting should be subordinate to the ideas the artist wished to express. He felt that the success or failure of a painting rests on the artist’s ability to manipulate his subject to achieve this aim. By 1895, the Nabis found difficulties in the constant pressure to innovate, and they sought a resolution through a return to more established criteria. Denis and Roussel returned to the classical ideal, Serusier and Verkade to the mathematical mystical systems of the Beuron School, and Vuillard and Bonnard to nature.
• Who influenced Edouard Vuillard?+

  Édouard Vuillard (1868^[2]-1940^[2]) studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in 1887^[2]. He was taught first by Maillart, then by Gerome. Later, he attended the Académie Julian. Soon after, Vuillard joined the recently formed Nabis^[2], developing a close friendship with Bonnard. His association with the Nabis during the 1890s involved group exhibitions, work in the applied and decorative arts, and theatre projects. After the Nabis disbanded around 1900, Vuillard, like Bonnard, shifted towards greater naturalism. Vuillard was also inspired by Claude Monet and Georges Seurat. A series of nine panels he painted for a Parisian townhouse recall Monet's garden paintings at Giverny. Vuillard turned a public garden into a "magical dream world" in his painting *Two Schoolboys* (1894).