Who painted Game of Checkers (La partie de dames)?

Game of Checkers (La partie de dames) was painted by Édouard Vuillard in 1898.

Where can I see Game of Checkers (La partie de dames)?

Game of Checkers (La partie de dames) is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Game of Checkers (La partie de dames)?

Game of Checkers (La partie de dames) is associated with Impressionism.

Artwork

Game of Checkers (La partie de dames)

Édouard Vuillard , 1898

Game of Checkers (La partie de dames) is a graphite print by the Impressionist artist Édouard Vuillard. It dates from 1898 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

The scene is rendered in muted, dark clothing against warm, yellow‑toned walls and a dark sofa, conveying a restrained atmosphere of concentration.

Édouard Vuillard’s 1898 work *Game of Checkers* is a color lithograph printed on china paper and later mounted on tan wove paper. The image captures a quiet domestic interior where a man seated at a table and a standing woman engage in a game of checkers. The scene is rendered in muted, dark clothing against warm, yellow‑toned walls and a dark sofa, conveying a restrained atmosphere of concentration.

Subject & Meaning

The composition focuses on a simple, everyday activity—a game of checkers—presented as an intimate moment between the two figures. Their subdued attire and the modest furnishings suggest a private, perhaps middle‑class setting, emphasizing quiet interaction over narrative drama. The calm concentration of the participants invites viewers to contemplate the ordinary pleasures of domestic life.

Technique & Style

Executed as a color lithograph, the print utilizes flat areas of pigment typical of Vuillard’s practice during his Nabis affiliation. The lithographic process allows subtle variations of tone, creating a modest sense of depth and texture. Influences from Japanese woodcuts appear in the simplified forms and decorative patterning of the wallpaper, while graphite marks on the mounting paper indicate later handling.

History & Provenance

Created while Vuillard was active with the avant‑garde group Les Nabis (1891‑1900), the print reflects the collective’s interest in decorative flatness and interior subject matter. The work was produced on china paper, a choice that enhances the richness of the color lithography, and subsequently mounted on a tan wove backing, a common conservation practice for prints of this period.

Context

During the late 1890s Vuillard concentrated on interior scenes, often portraying intimate domestic moments with a decorative sensibility. *Game of Checkers* aligns with this focus, integrating the Nabis’ aesthetic of flattened color planes and patterned surfaces while maintaining a personal, observational quality that distinguishes Vuillard’s approach from more overtly symbolic contemporaries.