Discovering and learning from the works of Félix Vallotton

Master Study of A Sick Girl, a work by French artist and illustrator Félix Vallotton

Oil on Canvas 16x20 inches

One of the last exhibits I saw before quarantine began was a Félix Vallotton retrospective at The Met. I had never heard of this artist before, and the experience of discovering a new favorite was thrilling. During lockdown I made it a point to do a lot of master studies, especially when I was feeling particularly uninspired.

The painting above was inspired the following piece. The subject matter was and continues to be highly relevant given the pandemic. I worked to heighten the sense of anxiety by removing her nurse and the frame that supports the bed.

The Sick Girl (La malade) 1892, Félix Vallotton

Interpretations of Last Rays & Interior with Woman in Red Seen from Behind

His body of work is an incredible journey into an artists evolution and growth over a lifetime. What struck me about these pieces, was this sense of magic they gave off. The perfect sunset gradient of Last Rays, the endless doorways or portals in the Interior – those are the aspects I chose to emphasize in my studies.

Last rays study, 2020 - Shalimar Luis

Last rays, 1911 - Félix Vallotton

Interior with Woman in Red Seen from Behind, 1903

Inner Space, 2020, 22x30 inches - Shalimar Luis

I used oil pastels on black paper and a more graphic approach in these two studies to help further distance my interpretations from the original paintings. 🎨