Felix Vallotton's woodcuts and the Japanese print
| dc.contributor.author | Sipper, Mary Alexandra | en_US |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2024-08-15T18:23:16Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2024-08-15T18:23:16Z | |
| dc.date.copyright | 1984 | en_US |
| dc.date.issued | 1984 | |
| dc.degree.department | Department of History in Art | en_US |
| dc.degree.level | Master of Arts M.A. | en |
| dc.description.abstract | The artist Felix Vallotton (1865-1925) produced some of his most exciting work in the woodcut medium in Paris during the last decade of the 19th century. Characterized by their clean lines, stark black and white contrasts, and radically simplified form, these woodcuts were unlike anything produced in that medium before. They also marked a significant move for the artist from a precise, naturalistic style to one that reflected Symbolist tendencies. Vallotton's new approach soon won the artist wide recognition as a leader in the movement to revitalize the woodcut, and allied him with the artistic avant-garde in Paris. At the time Vallotton's first woodcuts appeared in 1891, wood engraving, which had largely superseded the ancient technique of woodcutting, was considered primarily a means of reproducing other works of art. While an effort to improve the status of wood engraving and revive the woodcut had been underway since mid-century, it was not until the late 1880s that a renewal of interest in these techniques occurred. The Japanese woodblock print may have been a decisive factor in the re-establishment of woodcutting and wood engraving as a viable means for producing original works of art. Japonisme, which had profoundly influenced European art since the introduction of Japanese prints in the 1850s, was also significant in Vallotton's stylistic development and provides a natural focus for an investigation of his graphic production. While Vallotton's style has parallels in the work of his contemporaries, the Nabis and Toulouse-Lautrec, his choice of subject matter and his preference for the woodcut over a more popular medium such as lithography set him apart. An examination of the work of contemporary wood engravers also reveals important differences. Japanese woodblock prints, because of their enormous popularity and their high visibility in Paris at this time through numerous publications and exhibitions, seem to be a logical precedent for Vallotton's work. They may have been the primary inspiration for the artist in his decision to take up woodcutting and were undoubtedly critical in the formulation of his new style. Vallotton had many opportunities to become acquainted with Japanese prints. These include a book by Louis Gonse published in 1883, the comprehensive exh1bition of Japanese prints at the Ecole des Beaux Arts which took place in 1890, and the periodical Le Japon Artistigue which appeared monthly from 1888 through 1891. It is possible that Vallotton got the idea of using large areas of pure black and white in his woodcuts from the black and white reproductions of Japanese prints which appeared in these publications. Vallotton may also have drawn certain motifs from Japanese prints and often used typically "Japanese" compositional devices, Vallotton, like his contemporaries, was probably attracted to Japanese prints, because they were thought to be free from the influences. which had "corrupted" European art. Vallotton also appreciated Japanese prints for their decorative and express! ve possibilities. However·, despite the many. instances in which these prints appear to have served as inspiration to the artist, ·his woodcuts do not seem Japanese Vallotton's unique ability to absorb these elements and translate them into his own terms demonstrates his deep understanding of the principles behind Japanese art, and his complete mastery of the woodcut medium. | |
| dc.format.extent | 150 pages | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/1828/19709 | |
| dc.rights | Available to the World Wide Web | en_US |
| dc.title | Felix Vallotton's woodcuts and the Japanese print | en_US |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_US |
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