Artwork
Two Seated Bathers (Deux baigneuses assises)
Two Seated Bathers (Deux baigneuses assises) 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. Created in 1893, *Two Seated Bathers* is a black‑ink woodcut executed on brown wove paper.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1893, *Two Seated Bathers* is a black‑ink woodcut executed on brown wove paper. The print presents a quiet scene of two nude women seated on a grassy bank, their forms rendered with smooth, unadorned contours against a flat, dark background that hints at distant trees. The composition is deliberately simple, emphasizing shape over detail.
Subject & Meaning
The image portrays a genre scene of leisure, focusing on the quiet intimacy of two women at rest in nature. By stripping away narrative accessories, the work invites contemplation of the human body as an elemental form, aligning with the Nabis’ interest in reducing subjects to their essential visual qualities.
Technique & Style
Vallotton employed a traditional woodcut process, carving the design into a block of wood and transferring it onto paper with black ink. The resulting print is characterized by bold, flat areas of tone and crisp outlines, reflecting his precise, almost clinical approach. Influences from Renaissance masters such as Holbein and Ingres can be seen in the disciplined line work and restrained realism.
History & Provenance
The print was produced during Vallotton’s most active period with the avant‑garde group Les Nabis, when he explored modern printmaking methods. While the original block and early editions remain in private and institutional collections, the work has been exhibited in retrospectives of the artist’s print output, underscoring its role in his development as a graphic artist.
Context
Vallotton’s *Two Seated Bathers* exemplifies this aesthetic, merging the group’s decorative ambitions with his own commitment to realistic representation.
In the early 1890s, the Nabis sought to simplify visual language, favoring flat color fields and decorative outlines. Vallotton’s *Two Seated Bathers* exemplifies this aesthetic, merging the group’s decorative ambitions with his own commitment to realistic representation. The piece thus occupies a transitional space between traditional academic drawing and the emerging modernist emphasis on abstraction.
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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.
