“The First Steps,” created by Edouard Vuillard in 1890, is an oil painting on canvas measuring 35.5 by 51.4 cm. This genre painting belongs to the Cloisonnism art movement and is currently held in a private collection.
The artwork depicts an intimate domestic scene in a comfortably cluttered interior. At the center, a young child with a cheerful appearance is taking its first steps, supported and closely watched by an adult figure, presumably a mother or caretaker. The room is decorated with patterned wallpapers and filled with various household items, creating a warm and lived-in ambiance. The use of muted colors and soft brushstrokes conveys a sense of tenderness and nostalgia, characteristic of Vuillard’s style and the Cloisonnism movement’s focus on delineating forms with bold outlines and areas of flat color.
