La Couturière (The Dressmaker)

From a very early age, Édouard Vuillard was immersed in the daily activities of his mother's dressmaking business, which operated out of their home with the help of two assistants. Busy seamstresses bent over tables absorbed in their work became one of the most persistent themes the young artist explored while a member of the Nabis. In this lithograph, Vuillard juxtaposes bold patches of solid blue and ochre, which denote wallpaper, furniture and fabric, with a more subtle, linear treatment of the window pane and seated figure. This contrast accentuates the ghostly presence of the young dressmaker, whose pale silhouette appears at times to merge with the background.