Felix Vallotton

Félix Vallotton was born in Lausanne, Switzerland in 1865 and established a reputation as a fine painter and engraver. He was a member the Nabis group who, at the end of the 19th century, combined the Post-Impressionist techniques and style with new avant-garde methods. Although he never achieved the same level of prestige as Pierre Bonnard, the leader of the Nabis, Vallotton is a regular name in art auctions and his works are exhibited in the most reputable museums and galleries.

He worked frequently in the medium of the woodcut, in a style influenced by but different from Japanese work in this medium. In 1891, he produced his first woodcuts and presented ten paintings in his debut at the Salon des Indépendants. An important milestone in his career was the exhibition of a dozen of his paintings in Vienna in January 1903, which won the praise of Ferdinand Hodler and Gustav Klimt. In 1909, Vallotton participated in the foundation of the Acádemie Ranson with Vuillard, Bonnard and others. It was a period of commercial success for Vallotton. However, the First World War had repercussions on their sales and caused financial problems. Vallotton produced several works inspired by the conflict. He went to live in Cagnes-sur-Mer in the winter of 1920. In November 1925, he was hospitalized and died after an operation for cancer.