“The Avenue,” created by Edouard Vuillard in 1899, is a cityscape artwork measuring 33.3 x 44.9 cm and is associated with the art movement known as Japonism. This unique piece showcases an urban scene with a distinct influence from Japanese aesthetics.
The artwork features a broad avenue flanked by tall trees, with their green canopy merging into the distance. Pedestrians, rendered in a minimalist style with various shades of blue, yellow, and gray, populate the scene. The figures and their surroundings possess softened edges, lending a dreamlike quality to the piece. Vuillard employs a limited color palette and flattened perspective, hallmarks of the Japonism movement. A lone figure in the foreground, garbed in a striking blue skirt and yellow top, draws the viewer’s attention, linking the human element to the broader, tranquil urban environment. The interplay of light and shadow on the pavement further enhances the composition’s dynamic yet serene nature.
