Magnet Vallotton - Last Rays

This magnet is published on the occasion of the exhibition "Swiss Modernities (1890-1914)" at the Orsay Museum.

Félix Vallotton (1865-1925)
Last rays, 1911 - Oil on canvas, 100 x 73 cm © musée des beaux-arts de Quimper
Acquired in 1980 in the art trade in Paris

Since 1909, Vallotton spends every summer near Honfleur. He draws and paints on several occasions a group of umbrella pines that overlook the Baie de Seine. In this canvas, the most refined of all, he eliminates every reference to the surrounding countryside and any landmarks in order to focus on the graceful silhouettes. He plays with contrast between light and shadow and uses an almost surreal colour red. This work is one of those that most clearly assert the influence of Japanese prints on western art. It also demonstrates Vallotton's taste for wood engravings.
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