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Child Wearing a Red Scarf by Vuillard, Edouard

Vuillard, Edouard · c. 1891

Édouard Vuillard's 'Child Wearing a Red Scarf' (c. 1891) at the Art Institute of Chicago, is a subtle masterpiece that quietly breaks artistic conventions.

Notice the vibrant orange-red scarf, the painting's focal point, which stands out against the muted, dark interior. The young girl's back is turned, a deliberate choice by Vuillard that invites the viewer to project their own emotions onto the scene, rather than relying on an explicit expression.

Vuillard was a key member of Les Nabis, an avant-garde group influenced by Japanese prints. This influence is clear in the painting's flattened planes of color and the striking way the scarf's bright orange meets the deep background without blending. He later shifted to a more realistic style, but this early work showcases his radical vision.

What do you imagine the child is looking at?

Details

They focused on flat planes of color, like Japanese prints.
They focused on flat planes of color, like Japanese prints.
The little girl's head is completely turned away from us.
The little girl's head is completely turned away from us.
The artist often showed figures from behind, making us wonder.
The artist often showed figures from behind, making us wonder.
She wears the painting's only blaze of color, the red scarf.
She wears the painting's only blaze of color, the red scarf.
An enormous dark presence , likely a parent , flattened to near-abstraction; looms protectively or ominously in a way that defines the child's vulnerability by contrast
An enormous dark presence , likely a parent , flattened to near-abstraction; looms protectively or ominously in a way that defines the child's vulnerability by contrast
Transcript

This quiet painting is more radical than it looks. The artist was part of an avant-garde group, Les Nabis. They focused on flat planes of color, like Japanese prints. See how the orange scarf meets the dark background, no transition. The little girl's head is completely turned away from us. The artist often showed figures from behind, making us wonder. She wears the painting's only blaze of color, the red scarf.