Artwork
You give me your money...
You give me your money... is a print by Félix Vallotton. It dates from 1901 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
“You give me your money…” is a black‑and‑white woodcut by Félix Vallotny, first appearing as plate 12 in the March 1 1902 issue of the satirical periodical L’Assiette au Beurre. Part of the series titled Crimes and Punishments, the image presents a compact narrative scene rendered in stark contrasts of light and shadow.
Subject & Meaning
The composition shows a well‑dressed man in a top hat extending a coin to a woman, while a looming, knife‑wielded figure lurks in the background. The juxtaposition of a courteous exchange with a threatening presence critiques the hidden violence of greed and the moral ambiguities of everyday transactions in early‑20th‑century Paris.
Technique & Style
Executed as a woodcut, Vallotny carved the image from a single block, allowing bold, crisp lines and deep black areas to dominate the picture plane. The stark chiaroscuro effect—sharp delineation between illuminated forms and darkness—heightens the tension and gives the scene a cinematic, silent‑film quality despite the absence of color.
Context
Published in L’Assiette au Beurre, a magazine known for its political satire and social commentary, the print contributed to a broader visual critique of corruption and criminality. The series Crimes and Punishments used similar graphic strategies to expose societal ills, situating this work within the magazine’s tradition of biting, illustrated journalism.
Artist & collection
Artist
Félix Édouard Vallotton (French: ; December 28, 1865 – December 29, 1925) was a Swiss and French painter and printmaker associated with the group of artists known as Les Nabis.
