Vallotton Forever. The Retrospective

Lausanne, the birthplace of the artist Félix Vallotton (1865–1925), is hosting the largest retrospective of his work ever, a tribute marking the centennial of his death. Part of the Plateforme 10 arts district, the Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts (MCBA), home a very important collection of Vallotton’s output, and the Fondation Félix Vallotton, a centre for documentation and research, are taking a novel approach to an artist known for his lucid mind, critical spirit, and biting humour.

Spread over an exhibition space of some 1400 m2, the show offers a chronological and thematic display that for the first time brings together every facet of Vallotton’s body of work. The painter and printmaker are seen in dialogue with the illustrator and press caricaturist. Over 250 pieces are on display, including numerous masterworks from Swiss and European collections, inviting us to rediscover a major artist of modernism.

The exhibition first traces Vallotton’s efforts to make a name for himself in Paris, where he arrived at the age of sixteen: his early appearances at the official Salon; his breakthrough as a wood-engraver; his press drawings, which testify to his commitment to social struggles, along with his book illustrations; and finally, his famous interior scenes. In 1893, Vallotton joined the Nabis and fought on the side of the post-Impressionist avant-garde for a symbolist and decorative art. The second part focuses on the revolution that occurred when Vallotton, much to everyone’s surprise, turned to the realist movements of his time. With his reputation firmly established, he now devoted himself exclusively to painting. His subjects re-examined the traditional genres: nudes, portraits, landscapes, still lifes, and history painting. His dialogue with past painters, his carefully considered compositions, and his vibrant colours envisioned a future for figurative painting at a moment of crisis. From 1905 until his death twenty years later, Vallotton worked apart, completely independent of the modernist movements.

The retrospective mounted at the Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts (MCBA) for the 1992-1993 season made clear the artist’s importance. Thirty-two years later, Vallotton has become essential viewing thanks to shows held in Paris, Amsterdam, Tokyo, London, and New York that drew tens of thousands of visitors. Today Lausanne offers a chance to a new generation to discover this fascinating artist, and to art lovers who know his work, to stand once again before his masterpieces and make a few discoveries. Vallotton is for everyone. Vallotton is forever.

Exhibition curators: Catherine Lepdor, chief curator MCBA, and Katia Poletti, curator of the Fondation Félix Vallotton, Lausanne, with the assistance of Camille de Alencastro, research associate, MCBA

Exhibition design: Cécile Degos

Signage: Carole Guinard