Félix Édouard Vallotton was a Swiss/French painter and printmaker who is associated with the post-impressionist movement and was also a part of Les Nabis, a group of young artists committed to creating work of symbolic and spiritual significance. Born on December 28, 1865, in Lausanne, Switzerland, Vallotton showed an early interest in art, prompting his move to Paris at the age of sixteen to study at the Académie Julian, a private art school popular with foreign students.
Vallotton's early work was influenced by the realism of the 19th century, but his style evolved significantly after he became involved with Les Nabis in the late 1880s. This group, which included Pierre Bonnard and Édouard Vuillard, was influenced by Paul Gauguin's use of color and symbolic imagery. Vallotton, however, distinguished himself within this group through his unique approach to woodcut printing. He revitalized this medium by adopting a clear, precise style that emphasized stark contrasts and simplified forms, a departure from the more decorative patterns favored by his contemporaries. His woodcuts often depicted scenes of Parisian life with a sharp, sometimes satirical, perspective and were notable for their strong sense of design and dramatic use of light and shadow.
In addition to his graphic work, Vallotton was a prolific painter, known for his meticulously detailed portraits, nudes, and landscapes. His paintings often reflect a sense of tension and psychological depth, characteristics that became more pronounced in his later work. During the 1890s, Vallotton's paintings began to show the influence of the developing Symbolist movement, with works that conveyed a sense of ambiguity and unease, often through the use of stark, reductive compositions and a muted color palette.
Vallotton's artistic output was not limited to painting and printmaking; he was also an accomplished writer who contributed art criticism and satirical essays to various publications. His writings, like his art, often reflected his critical and observant nature.
Despite his association with Les Nabis and his contribution to the post-impressionist movement, Vallotton's work is sometimes overlooked in the broader narrative of early 20th-century art. However, his influence is evident in the development of modernist aesthetics, particularly in the way he manipulated form and color to convey complex emotions and critiques of society.
Vallotton's later years were marked by a return to more classical subjects and techniques, though he continued to explore the themes of tension and psychological complexity that characterized his earlier work. He served in the French army during World War I, an experience that impacted his health and work. Félix Vallotton died on December 29, 1925, in Paris, leaving behind a diverse and influential body of work that continues to be studied and appreciated for its innovation and insight into the human condition.
Arques-la-Bataille
The town of Arques-la-Bataille (population: 2,700) is located close to Dieppe towards the South (inland). It’s a town dominated by the ruins of a major castle.
Varengeville-sur-Mer
The village of Varengeville-sur-Mer (population: 1,000) lies next to Pourville, a bit further East from Dieppe along the coast. It was a popular place for artists.
These were the paintings that Vallotton made in Dieppe and its immediate surroundings.