The Singer
ca. 1895
Édouard Vuillard captures the raw energy of a performance in this lively sketch, where two figures seem to belt out a song with wild, scribbled hair and sweeping gestures. As a key member of the Nabis group within Post-Impressionism, Vuillard was famous for his intimate domestic scenes, but here he lets his pen dance across the paper to freeze a fleeting moment of musical passion. Notice the faint, ghostly studies of faces and hands on the left—these are the artist's quick warm-ups before committing to the bold, dark strokes of the main singers. It’s a perfect glimpse into how a master artist practices and plays with form before the final masterpiece.