Artwork
Bathers Caught in a Storm (Les baigneuses surprises par l'orage)
Bathers Caught in a Storm (Les baigneuses surprises par l'orage) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Félix Vallotton. It dates from 1893 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower left in block: FV; lower right in graphite: fv; by later hand, lower left verso in graphite: 124 7
About this work
Overview
Created in 1893, Bathers Caught in a Storm is a black woodcut on brown wove paper by Félix Vallotton, a Swiss‑French artist linked to the Nabis group. The print presents a small gathering of nude figures abruptly interrupted by a storm, their forms rendered in stark silhouette against a jagged, rain‑filled sky.
Subject & Meaning
The composition captures a fleeting moment of vulnerability: bathers are forced to confront sudden weather, emphasizing the tension between leisure and nature’s unpredictability. A single figure clutches a large cloth, suggesting an attempt to shield themselves, while the other bodies remain exposed, underscoring the fragility of the human condition in the face of elemental forces.
Technique & Style
Vallotton employed the modern woodcut method, carving clean, decisive lines into a block to produce bold contrasts. The silhouettes are reduced to minimal outlines, and the rain is suggested by jagged, repetitive strokes that convey movement. This economical use of line reflects the period’s interest in graphic clarity and the artist’s characteristic unemotional realism.
History & Provenance
The work emerged during Vallotton’s most productive printmaking phase, when his woodcuts gained international attention and contributed to the revival of the medium in the late nineteenth century. It was exhibited with other Nabis prints, reinforcing the group’s reputation for integrating fine art and decorative design.
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Artist & collection
Artist
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.
