Misia at Her Dressing Table

Misia at Her Dressing Table reflects the close collaboration of Félix Vallotton with the Nabis (two days ago we presented Bonnard's piece, don't miss it!) and is among the finest paintings of his career. The sitter, Misia Godebska (1872-1950) was then the wife of the Parisian publisher Thadée Natanson, who, together with his brothers Alfred and Alexandre, had founded La Revue Blanche in 1891—to which Bonnard, Vuillard and Vallotton frequently contributed. Alongside her husband, Misia played an important role in the Parisian artistic circles at the turn of the century: she was both a muse—Bonnard, Vuillard, Renoir and Toulouse-Lautrec painted her portrait—and patron of artists, writers and composers.Fascinated by Misia's exuberant and energetic personality, Vallotton painted several portraits of her including this one—certainly executed in the summer of 1898 in the couple's country house in Villeneuve-sur-Yonne. Represented in intimacy in front of her dressing table, Misia's large figure dominates the composition, the curves of her body and dress in contrast with the sharp lines intersecting the picture plane. The light, coming from an invisible source, creates a highly-contrasted play of light and shade that also contributes to highlight the abrupt originality of the framing and that of the matte colours.In a composition in which everything is calculated down to the framed engraving by Vallotton which hangs on the wall, "Misia at Her Dressing Table" is not only one of the most accomplished intimate portraits in the painter's career, but also, thanks to the model represented, an important document of his time.

See you tomorrow guys!

Help us and donate so we will be able to release the new version of DailyArt this autumn: http://support.getdailyart.com