Children in a Room

Vuillard was the last Impressionist of the 20th century. He was interested in the interaction of light and colour within the intimate space of a room; his predecessors were engaged in representing this interaction outside in the open air, i.e. plein-air. In Vuillard's works, interiors are more an emotional environment permeated with comfort and tranquillity than a background for his characters (in this case, Vuillard's nephews are probably the characters depicted). Having a balcony or a window depicted in the background is one of his most important devices: the diffused light flowing from the outside fills the interior, absorbing bright colours and transforming the shapes into a decorative patchwork; only the contours of the carpet, screen, and balcony railings — which form the structural basis of the composition — are left well defined.