L’Essayage 1892

Édouard Vuillard captured this intimate scene, titled L’Essayage, with oil on cardboard. Vuillard, deeply embedded in the domestic sphere, presents a scene that gives us insight into the lives of women in late 19th-century France. The painting depicts a dress fitting, a common social ritual among women of the bourgeoisie, suggesting themes of identity and the performative aspects of femininity. We see the subject standing in a white gown as her seamstress makes the final adjustments. Vuillard seems less interested in portraying his subjects in a traditional manner but rather in capturing the emotion and the quiet moments of everyday life. Vuillard once said, "I don't paint portraits, I paint people in interiors". And this is what he does, as he captures the ambiance of a private world, revealing as much about the sitters as about the painter himself. The use of muted tones and soft brushstrokes blurs the lines between the figures and their environment, creating an immersive experience for the viewer.