Children in a Room

Vuillard is the last Impressionist of the 20th century. He was interested in the light and colour interaction within the intimate space of a room, while his predecessors were engaged in representing this interaction in the open air. In the artist's works interiors are rather an emotional medium penetrated with comfort and tranquillity than a background for his characters (in this case depicted are probably Vuillard's nephews). A balcony or a window depicted in the background is one of his most important devices: the diffused light flowing from the outside fills the interior, absorbing bright colours and transforming the shapes into a decorative patch; and only the contours of the carpet, screen and balcony railings, which form the structural basis of the composition, are left well defined.