The Winner 1898

Félix Vallotton created this woodcut, "The Winner," sometime in the late 19th century. It captures a scene of excited anticipation, perhaps at a horse race or some other sporting event. The image relies on strong contrasts of black and white, typical of woodcut prints, to convey a sense of frenzied energy. This was a time of rapid social and technological change in France. Note how Vallotton depicts the crowd pressed against a barrier, their bodies and gestures somewhat abstracted, reflecting a sense of collective experience. The print, whose title can also be translated as 'the betting man', may comment on the growing culture of mass entertainment and its impact on society. To understand such images, we can turn to sources like period newspapers, social commentaries, and institutional records of artistic production, allowing us to connect the art to its moment.