Félix Vallotton Biography

Félix Edouard Vallotton was born December 28, 1865, Lausanne, Switzerland. A greatly talented graphic artist and painter, he was known for paintings of nudes and interiors, and most particularly for his distinctive engravings.

Vallotton was raised in a traditional conservative family of the time, and after completing secondary school, he left Lausanne in 1882 for Paris to pursue art studies. Although accepted by the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts, he chose to attend the slightly less influential Académie Julian, where he studied with notable French painters Jules Lefebvre and Gustave Boulanger among others.

He was a member the Nabis group who, at the end of the 19th century, combined the Post-Impressionist techniques and style with new avant-garde methods. Although he never achieved the same level of acclaim as his peers such as leader of the Nabis, Pierre Bonnard, Vallotton is a regular name in high-end art auctions, and his works are exhibited in some of the worlds most famous, reputable museums and galleries.

Vallotton died December 29, 1925, the day after his 60th birthday in Paris, France.

Artist's Statement

Vallotton is quoted as saying, “The life I live is literally the opposite of the life I dreamed of. I love seclusion, silence, cultivated thinking and reasoned action – and I have to deal with machinations, foolish talk and vain affectation.”