Artwork

A Baby in a Basket Outdoors (Couverture pour L'Album d'estampes originales)

A Baby in a Basket Outdoors (Couverture pour L'Album d'estampes originales) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Édouard Vuillard. It dates from 1899 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created circa 1899, this five‑color lithograph on china paper depicts a baby nestled in a basket that appears to drift on a river, set against a muted sky and a green hill. The composition is framed by the words “album” above and “original” handwritten below the basket, emphasizing its purpose as a print for a limited edition collection.

Subject & Meaning

The image presents a domestic, intimate moment rendered in a simplified, almost naïve manner. By placing the infant in a natural setting rather than a interior space, the work juxtaposes childhood vulnerability with the openness of the outdoors, suggesting a gentle, contemplative view of everyday life.

Technique & Style

Executed as a lithograph, the piece employs five distinct color plates that are printed in succession, allowing flat, unblended hues to sit side by side. The lines are intentionally uneven, giving the work a sketch‑like quality that aligns with the decorative flatness favored by Vuillard’s contemporaries.

Context

At the time of its production Vuillard was a member of Les Nabis, a post‑Impressionist group that drew inspiration from Japanese woodcuts and emphasized decorative patterning and flattened color fields. This print reflects those influences while also echoing his broader interest in intimate, everyday scenes.

History & Provenance

The lithograph was issued as a cover for an “Album d’estampes originales,” a limited series of original prints. Its inclusion in such a publication indicates that it was intended for collectors and connoisseurs familiar with the avant‑garde print market of the late nineteenth century.