1901
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Salute first... is a 1901 by Félix Vallotton, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
You see a dark street at night. A man in a top hat fires a pistol at close range. The victim’s body is already crumpling, lit only by the muzzle flash. This print was made for a satirical magazine in 1902. Vallotton used sharp black-and-white contrast to make the violence feel sudden and cold. The series mocked how society ignored crime when it happened to the poor. Look up the technique called *chiaroscuro* to see how light and shadow can tell a story.
This print was published in the magazine L’Assiette au Beurre (March 1, 1902 ) as plate 6 from the series Crimes and Punishments .
Félix Vallotton's caricatural depictions of Parisian police officers may relate to his interest in anarchist politics during the 1890s.
Read the full account in the museum source.
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.
See the richer artist pageYour cart is empty
Explore artworks →
