Artwork
Portrait de Kerr-Xavier Roussel
Portrait de Kerr-Xavier Roussel is a tempera painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Édouard Vuillard. It dates from 1930 and is held in the collection of the Musée d'art moderne de Paris.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1930, this glue‑tempera work by Édouard Vuillard portrays fellow painter Ker‑Xavier Roussel within a modest studio. The composition places the seated figure at a table surrounded by typical artist’s paraphernalia, while muted daylight filters through a left‑hand window, lending the scene a subdued, contemplative atmosphere.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait captures Roussel in a moment of quiet concentration, his dark jacket and white beard suggesting both age and authority. By situating him amid brushes, canvases, and other tools, Vuillard emphasizes the artist’s identity as a working creator, inviting viewers to consider the everyday reality behind the act of painting.
Technique & Style
Vuillard employed glue tempera, a medium that yields a matte, layered surface, allowing for delicate modulation of hue. The palette balances warm and cool tones, and the treatment of forms flattens space in a manner reminiscent of Japanese woodcuts, a recurring influence in his decorative approach.
History & Provenance
After its completion, the painting entered the collection of the Musée d’art moderne de Paris, where it remains on display. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s commitment to representing early twentieth‑century French modernism and the interconnections among members of the Les Nabis circle.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jean-Édouard Vuillard (French: ; 11 November 1868 – 21 June 1940) was a French painter, decorative artist, and printmaker.
