Woman with Hat 1912

Édouard Vuillard made this painting, Woman with Hat, using oil on cardboard. Vuillard was associated with a group of artists called the Nabis, who believed that art should be decorative and evoke emotions. Here, he's used visible brushstrokes and a somewhat muted palette. See how the materials have imbued the artwork with a soft, intimate quality? The painting has an interesting relationship to the modes of production, particularly through its focus on clothing. The hat is a prominent feature, and in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, hats were a significant fashion statement. Making hats involved a whole industry of milliners, seamstresses, and textile workers. Although the painting doesn't directly show labor or class issues, it hints at the social context of fashion, consumption, and the work involved in creating these objects. Considering the materials, making, and context allows us to appreciate the artwork on a deeper level, beyond traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.