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Beyond the Easel: Decorative Painting by Bonnard, Vuillard, Denis, and Roussel, 1890–1930
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Embroidering by the Window, 1895–96
Édouard Vuillard (French, 1868–1940)
Oil on canvas; 69 7/8 x 25 7/8 in. (177.7 x 65.6 cm)
The Museum of Modern Art, New York
Estate of John Hay Whitney
Photograph © 2001 The Museum of Modern Art, New York
DescriptionIn 1895 Vuillard made a series of five paintings for Thadée and Misia Natanson. Misia was an accomplished pianist, who had studied with Gabriel Fauré. Thadée was editor in chief and art critic of La Revue blanche, an eclectic and influential journal, published in Paris from 1891 to 1903 that was devoted to contemporary literature, fine art, and music. The couple befriended a number of the literary and artistic talents featured in La Revue blanche, among them Bonnard, Vuillard, Tristan Bernard, Claude Debussy, Félix Fénéon, Alfred Jarry, Lugné Poe, Stephane Mallarmé, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Jules Renard, and Paul Valéry.
The Album series (so-called after the largest painting in the group) was exhibited at Siegfried Bing's gallery, Maison de l'Art Nouveau, before it was sent to Thadée and Misia Natanson's loftlike apartment near the Place de la Concorde. The unframed paintings were casually hung against a bright yellow-orange and blue floral wallcovering. This exhibition is the first time that all five paintings have been reunited since financial problems forced Thadée to auction his collection in 1908.
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