The Beach at Saint-Jacut 1909

Édouard Vuillard painted *The Beach at Saint-Jacut* with oil on cardboard, demonstrating how the material properties of oil paint can influence a work's overall appearance. Vuillard's technique involves applying thin layers of paint, almost like watercolor, which allows the cardboard support to subtly show through. This approach creates a muted, matte surface, contrasting with the glossy, textured finish often associated with oil paintings. The brushstrokes are loose and blended, evoking a sense of transience and atmospheric effect. The sand seems granular, the sea flows smoothly, the sky shifts seamlessly. Vuillard, along with other artists of his time, were challenging the traditional hierarchy between "fine art" and craft, by working on humble supports such as cardboard. This reflected a broader interest in the everyday and the intimate. Ultimately, the materials and processes Vuillard employed are essential to understanding his artistic vision. By focusing on the materiality of the work, we can appreciate its unique aesthetic qualities.