Program Design for the Théâtre Libre [verso]
c. 1890
![Program Design for the Théâtre Libre [verso] by Edouard Vuillard](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.artheonmuseum.org%2Fnga%2Fthumb%2Fprogram-design-for-the-thtre-libre-verso-nga-106387.webp&w=3840&q=75)
Medium
watercolor over graphite on wove paper
Dimensions
overall: 30.2 x 20.7 cm (11 7/8 x 8 1/8 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Given in memory of Daryl Reich Rubenstein
Accession Number
1998.46.1.b
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
Edouard Vuillard's *Program Design for the Théâtre [verso]*, created around 1890, offers a glimpse into the young artist's early experimentation during a pivotal time in Parisian avant-garde culture. At just 22, Vuillard was emerging as a key figure in Les Nabis, a post-Impressionist group emphasizing decorative patterns, symbolism, and intimate scenes. This watercolor over graphite drawing on wove paper served as a preparatory design for innovative Théâtre Libre, founded by André Antoine in 7 to champion naturalism and realism on stage—breaking from the theatrical conventions of the era. The...
About the Artist
Edouard Vuillard · 1868–1940
Jean-Édouard Vuillard was born on November 11, 1868, in Cuiseaux, Saône-et-Loire, France, to a retired naval captain father and seamstress mother, Marie Vuillard. After his father's early death in 1884, the family settled in Paris, where Vuillard attended the Lycée Condorcet, meeting future Nabis members like Ker-Xavier Roussel—later his brother-in-law—and Maurice Denis. He began formal training i...