Study for 'Les cinq peintres' (The Five Painters)

Art Historical Context

Félix Vallotton created graphite drawing as a preparatory for his 1902–1903 painting *Les cinq peintres* (The Five Painters). A Swiss-French artist associated with the Nabis group, Vallotton often explored intimate, stylized scenes of modern life. Here, the study captures the careful planning behind a group portrait, likely depicting fellow painters in a moment of creative exchange. Rendered in graphite on board, the work reveals Vallotton’s precise line work and attention to composition. Such studies allowed him to refine poses, lighting, and spatial relationships before committing to the final canvas. Measuring just over 12 by 9 inches, the intimate scale invites close looking, highlighting the quiet intensity of the artistic process. Acquired by the National Gallery of Art through an anonymous gift, this drawing offers visitors a rare glimpse into Vallotton’s methodical approach. It underscores the importance of preparatory works in early twentieth-century art, bridging the gap between idea and finished painting.

About the Artist

Félix Vallotton · 1865–1925

Félix Vallotton (1865–1925) was born in Lausanne, Switzerland, into a comfortable middle-class family, and moved to Paris in 1882 to enroll at the Académie Julian, where he studied under the portrait painter Jules Joseph Lefebvre and the history painter Gustave Boulanger. Paris would remain his home for the rest of his life, and he became a French citizen in 1900 following his marriage to the art ...