Artwork
Le Monôme (Parading through the Streets in Single File)
Le Monôme (Parading through the Streets in Single File) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Félix Vallotton. It dates from 1893 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1893, *Le Monôme (Parading through the Streets in Single File)* is a lithographic print executed on yellow wove paper. The work presents a narrow urban street populated by a line of figures moving together in a disciplined procession. The composition is stark and uncluttered, emphasizing the uniformity of the march and the anonymity of the participants.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures a group of pedestrians advancing in a single file, their heads and shoulders aligned as if bound by an unseen directive. The lack of narrative detail—no destination, no interaction—invites contemplation of collective behavior, conformity, and the depersonalized rhythm of city life in the late nineteenth century.
Technique & Style
Vallotton employed a zinc lithograph, a medium that allows for crisp, flat areas of tone. The choice of yellow wove paper adds a warm undertone that softens the stark black outlines. His approach reflects the Nabis’ interest in simplifying forms and using bold, graphic composition while maintaining a detached, observational realism.
History & Provenance
The print emerged during Vallotton’s active involvement with the avant‑garde group Les Nabis, a period marked by experimentation with decorative flatness and reduced color palettes. Produced in the early 1890s, the work circulated among the artist’s circle and later entered public collections, illustrating his contribution to modern printmaking and the Nabis aesthetic.
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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.
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