The Tent 1908

Édouard Vuillard made this oil on canvas painting, called 'The Tent,' during a period of great social upheaval in France. The painting presents an intimate view of a domestic scene, but let’s consider how it might also reflect the shifting cultural landscape of its time. Vuillard was associated with the Nabis, a group of Post-Impressionist avant-garde artists who were influenced by Japanese prints and emphasized flat patterns and color harmonies. These are evident in the painting’s composition. The Nabis were interested in the decorative arts and questioned the traditional hierarchy between fine art and craft, they often depicted scenes of modern life and domestic interiors, reflecting the changing social roles and the rise of the middle class. It's important to note that they existed outside of institutions like the Salon. To fully understand this image, one might consult period sources such as French magazines, decorative art journals, and exhibition catalogs to gain insight into the cultural context of its creation. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context, and it is the historian's role to illuminate these connections.