Poker

Created by carving directly into wood, the image relies on stark black-and-white contrasts typical of Vallotton's woodcut practice. Simplified, stylized forms and bold outlines define the figures, while the sharp chiaroscuro effect—produced by the candle’s glow—heightens the dramatic separation between illuminated and shadowed areas.

The piece belongs to a series of more than two hundred woodcuts that established the artist as a leading figure in the late‑19th‑century revival of the medium. Produced during this period of renewed interest in printmaking, the work reflects the artist’s commitment to exploring graphic techniques rather than painting.

At the time of its creation, woodcut printing experienced a resurgence as artists sought to combine traditional craftsmanship with modernist aesthetics. Vallotton’s approach, marked by bold simplification and strong tonal contrasts, aligned with contemporary movements that valued graphic clarity and emotional immediacy.