Who painted Dressmaker (La Couturière)?

Dressmaker (La Couturière) was painted by Édouard Vuillard in 1894.

Where can I see Dressmaker (La Couturière)?

Dressmaker (La Couturière) is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Dressmaker (La Couturière)?

Dressmaker (La Couturière) is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Dressmaker (La Couturière)

Édouard Vuillard , 1894

Dressmaker (La Couturière) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Édouard Vuillard. It dates from 1894 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1894, *Dressmaker (La Couturière)* is a color lithograph on wove paper by French artist Édouard Vuillard. The print belongs to the period when Vuillard was closely linked to the Post‑Impressionist collective Les Nabis, a group that encouraged a decorative approach to painting and printmaking.

Subject & Meaning

The image depicts a woman seated at a table within a modest interior, surrounded by bolts of fabric, needles, and other sewing implements. Her gaze is turned away, suggesting a private, reflective moment. The arrangement of objects and the soft palette convey a sense of domestic intimacy and the quiet concentration of a craftsperson at work.

Technique & Style

Vuillard employed the lithographic process to achieve flat areas of color, echoing the simplified planes found in Japanese woodcuts that influenced the Nabis. The print emphasizes surface pattern and decorative rhythm over realistic depth, using muted tones and subtle gradations to suggest volume while maintaining a flattened visual field.

History & Provenance

The lithograph was produced during Vuillard’s decade‑long involvement with Les Nabis, a time when he was also active in painting and theater design. While specific ownership records are limited, the work has been exhibited as part of surveys of early modern French printmaking, illustrating Vuillard’s parallel practice in graphic media alongside his canvases.