La Patisserie, from Paysages et intérieurs

Édouard Vuillard (1868-1940), a key member of the Nabis group, created intimate lithographic works that captured the psychological nuances of Belle Époque domestic environments. His masterful print series "Paysages et Intérieurs" (1899) represents the pinnacle of his graphic production.

Commissioned by dealer Ambroise Vollard, these thirteen color lithographs transform seemingly mundane domestic scenes into rich visual tapestries. Vuillard employed up to five stones per print to achieve subtle chromatic effects, creating densely patterned compositions where figures merge with their decorative surroundings. The series exemplifies his signature approach: flattened perspective, compressed space, and atmospheric intimacy.

Unlike his Nabis colleague Vallotton's stark woodcuts, Vuillard's lithographs feature soft edges and muted tones that blur distinctions between subjects and their environments. His technical innovations included spatter effects and textural experiments that pushed lithography beyond traditional boundaries.

"Paysages et Intérieurs" demonstrates Vuillard's genius for transforming everyday bourgeois interiors into psychological landscapes. These prints, with their compressed spaces and pattern-rich surfaces, reflect his deep engagement with private life and established his reputation as a master of interior, "intimiste" scenes.