Madame Roussel Au Chiffonier c. 1892

Édouard Vuillard created this painting, titled 'Madame Roussel Au Chiffonier', with oil on cardboard. Vuillard, deeply embedded in the intimacy of domestic life, often portrayed his family in quiet, contemplative moments. Here, we see Vuillard's mother absorbed in the act of sorting through a chiffonnier, a type of small cabinet. What might seem like a mundane task is elevated through Vuillard's sensitive rendering, inviting us into the private world of a bourgeois home in late 19th-century France. The patterns, colors, and textures of the wallpaper, clothing, and furniture create a harmonious interior. The figure of Madame Roussel is almost camouflaged. Vuillard's work moves away from traditional portraiture by focusing on the psychological and emotional states of his subjects, rather than simply their outward appearance. The painting invites a reflection on the quiet labor and the interior lives of women, challenging the grand narratives of history.