About the Cover

Café Wepler
c. 1908–10, reworked in 1912

Edouard Vuillard

(French, 1868–1940)

France, late 19th-early 20th Century

Oil on fabric

Framed: Framed: 91.8 x 132.7 x 13 cm (36 1/8 x 52 1/4 x 5 1/8 in.)

Unframed: 62.2 x 103.2 cm (24 1/2 x 40 5/8 in.)

Gift of the Hanna Fund 1950.90

Image Credit: Cleveland Museum of Art

DESCRIPTION

In this oil on fabric painting, artist Edouard Vuillard depicts a large brasserie restaurant on Place Clichy in the Montmartre district of Paris. It is composed of several rooms on different levels.

Vuillard’s initial work was strongly influenced by Japanese wood block prints, which revealed bright colors and vivid patterns. Also influenced by several post-impressionist painters, he became a prominent member of a group called the Nabis, whose artwork often featured bold patterns and bright colors on textured surfaces. Vuillard lived near Café Wepler, which was the Paris hangout for the group, frequented by artists like Pablo Picasso and Amedeo Modigliani. Today, the Wepler is still in business.

Over time, Vuillard’s colors became more subdued, reflecting a desire to mimic the lighting effects in symbolist theater as he developed his decorative art, creating a variety of decorative projects, including theater sets, wallpaper, textiles, ceramics, and stained glass. 

Later in his career, he moved into interior decoration with his first major commissions, which included nine panels for the dining room of Alexandre Natanson and four decorative panels for the library of Dr. Henri Vaquez.

Sources:

Café Wepler. Edouard Vuillard 1908-1910, rewored in 1912. Cleveland Museum of Art. https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1950.90

Café Wepler. (c. 1908–10). About the Artist. https://artvee.com/dl/cafe-wepler/

Auricchio L. The Nabis and Decorative Painting. The MET. Published October 2004. https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/dcpt/hd_dcpt.htm

Stamberg S. Vuillard: A Parisian Painter And His Jewish Patrons. NPR. Pulished June 19, 2012. https://www.wnyc.org/story/217353-vuillard-a-parisian-painter-and-his-jewish-patrons/