L’Assassinat
Felix Vallotton (1865-1925), L’Assassinat, woodcut, 1893, signed in pencil lower right [also titled lower left and initials lower right in the block]. Reference: Vallotton/Georg 113b; a signed impression from the edition of 75 (most but not all numbered). On orange wove paper, in very good condition, with wide margins as published, 5 3/4 x 9 3/4, the sheet 10 x 12 3/4 inches, archival mounting.
A fine impression of this powerful work.
This is an impression from the lifetime edition; there were two subsequent posthumous editions, one of 25 on white Japan, another of 10 on white wove, each identifiable by the stamped initials as well as the paper and blindstamps in the paper; after these editions the woodblock was canceled.
Vallotton (1865-1925) made drypoints and etchings early in his career, and began making woodcuts in 1891. By the next year he had achieved some measure of fame in this medium with the publication of an article on his breakthrough approach by Octave Uzanne in the Paris journal “L’Art et L’Idee.” By 1893 he had obviously hit his stride, and L’Assassinat, made in that year, represents one of the great examples of Vallotton’s woodblock printmaking.
In an interesting variant on most of his prints, he printed this on an orange/yellow paper; during this period of course many artists experimented with paper color and type, and this appears to be a particularly appropriate paper color for this medium (and perhaps, for this subject matter).