His Most Famous Painting - Woman in a Striped Dress - Edouard Vuillard

French artist, Jean-Edouard Vuillard or Edouard Vuillardred, individually and in combination with white, yet it
(November 11, 1868 - June 21, 1940) was a famousdoes not seem to overpower the piece into
painter and printmaker. He was greatly influenced bydisharmony. The woman in the forefront is wearing a
the talent of Paul Gauguin and was a part of 'Nabi,' apuffed sleeved vintage dress in red and white stripes.
group of art students and scholars. For most of his life,Vuillard's meticulous observation of the woman's dress
until sixty years of age, Vuillard lived with his mother,can be traced back to his personal life and his
who was a dress designer and a tailor. This had amother's profession. The woman is shown arranging
defining influence on his choice of subjects and style offlowers in a vase. The flowers are presented in
painting. Vuillard's paintings revolved around domesticremarkably dull tones - off-white, black, purple, and
themes and decorative interiors, often mixed withearthy colors - perhaps, to highlight the attire of the
mother and child themes. One of his masterworkswoman. There is another female figure standing
was "Woman in a Striped Dress."behind, who appears to be a helper of the protagonist,
Created in the year 1895, "Woman in a Striped Dress"dressed in uniform red color.
is an oil paint on canvas work. It is currently placed inThe work is unique in the terms of the distinct
the Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon at theemphasis placed on the subject, despite a
National Gallery of Art in Washington. It was paintedhomogeneous color scheme in red. The 'Nabis' strongly
for Thadee Natanson, publisher of a leading-edgedisagreed with the simplistic form of 'Impressionism'
artistic and literary journal, La Revue Blanche. "Womanand were the great proponents of 'Symbolism,' where
in a Striped Dress" was a part of a five painting set,an artistic representation was powerful enough to
based on household subjects, Natanson commissionedarouse different feeling through a single frame of
for adorning his house. Natanson was married to awork. "Woman in a Striped Dress" by Edouard Vuillard
highly reputed pianist, Misia Godebska, whom Vuillardaptly portrays a regular domestic situation in a way
greatly admired.that brings out the nobility and the accomplishment of
As the title explains, the focal point of the "Woman in aits central figure, embodying the true spirit of
Striped Dress" by Edouard is a woman, most likely,'Symbolism.
Misia, and her dress. The dominant color in the piece is