Artwork
You'll find that's rather a hard one !
You'll find that's rather a hard one ! 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
Vallotton used flat shapes and stark light to make the scene feel like a silent movie—no faces, just tension.
A man in a dark suit looms over a woman slumped in a chair, his hand gripping her wrist. The room is bare except for a single lamp casting sharp shadows.
This print was made for a satirical magazine in 1902, part of a series called *Crimes and Punishments*. Vallotton used flat shapes and stark light to make the scene feel like a silent movie—no faces, just tension. The woman’s pose suggests she’s already given up.
If you like this quiet drama, look up *chiaroscuro*—the way light and dark create mood.
Overview
You'll find that's rather a hard one ! is a print published in the satirical magazine L'Assiette au Beurre in 1902.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a tense scene: a suited man grips a slumped woman's wrist, conveying a sense of oppression or domination. The woman's pose implies resignation.
Technique & Style
The artist, Félix Vallotton, employed stark lighting and flat shapes to create a dramatic atmosphere, reminiscent of a silent film. The use of chiaroscuro, a strong contrast between light and dark, heightens the emotional tension.
History & Provenance
The print was part of a series titled Crimes and Punishments, published as plate 7 in L'Assiette au Beurre on March 1, 1902.
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.
