Artwork
On the Beach
On the Beach is an unspecified painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Édouard Vuillard. It dates from 1907 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower right with atelier stamp: E Vuillard (Lugt 2497a)
About this work
Technique & Style
The work is executed in glue on canvas, a technique typical of early 20th-century French painting, and is classified as a painting. It measures 200 cm in height by 165 cm in width, as recorded in the National Gallery of Art's collection data.
The surface shows handling consistent with its age, though specific condition details are not provided in the available documentation.
History & Provenance
The work was gifted to the museum in 1985 by Paul Mellon, who had purchased it from L'Oeil Galerie d'Art in Paris the previous November.
Edouard Vuillard painted On the Beach in 1907 using glue on canvas. The work remained in the artist's estate after his death in 1940 and passed to his nephew Jacques Salomon. It was exhibited at L'Oeil Galerie d'Art in Paris before being sold in November 1970 to Paul Mellon of Upperville, Virginia. The painting entered the National Gallery of Art collection through a gift from Paul Mellon in 1985.
The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. currently holds the painting, which is cataloged with an inception date of 1907.
The provenance chain is documented in National Gallery of Art curatorial records and reflects transfers from the artist's estate to a family member, a Parisian gallery, and finally to the Mellon family before its donation to the museum.
On the Beach is held by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The work was gifted to the museum in 1985 by Paul Mellon, who had purchased it from L'Oeil Galerie d'Art in Paris the previous November. Its provenance traces back through the artist's estate and his nephew, Jacques Salomon.
Overview
Created circa 1907, On the Beach is a glue‑on‑canvas work by French painter Edouard Vuillard. The composition shows three women in white garments seated on sand, one near a red‑and‑white striped canopy, against a pink wall that rises behind them. The scene conveys a calm, leisurely atmosphere.
Subject & Meaning
The painting presents a quiet coastal setting, suggesting a moment of rest or social interaction among the figures. The white clothing and modest surroundings emphasize a sense of simplicity and tranquility, while the striped canopy adds a subtle decorative element to the composition.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Jean-Édouard Vuillard (French:; 11 November 1868 – 21 June 1940) was a French painter, decorative artist, and printmaker.
