Soir aux Andelys, Félix Vallotton

Félix Vallotton (1865–1925) was a highly prolific Franco-Swiss artist. Although he is best known for his paintings, it was through his engravings and book illustrations that he made his mark in Parisian avant-garde circles. His depictions of bourgeois Parisian interiors and the effervescence of the late 19th century gave him a unique profile; he was more of an ironic observer than a participant in contemporary art movements. Eventually distancing himself from the Nabis, he returned to painting, and his travels inspired him to paint landscapes in which he sought to master the light. His depictions of landscapes in Provence and Normandy are among these later works. Towards the end of his life, he painted Soir aux Andelys where the light seems to be fading, and the colours are free-flowing.