To Ibsen
1894
Félix Vallotton captures the intense, brooding spirit of Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen in this striking woodcut portrait. With wild, swirling hair and round spectacles peering out from a shadowy background, Ibsen looks like a man deep in thought, perhaps plotting the next scandalous scene for one of his famous plays like A Doll's House. Vallotton, a Swiss artist associated with the Symbolist movement and the avant-garde Les Nabis group, was a master of the woodcut, using bold black lines and stark contrasts to create images that feel almost like modern graphic novels. The inscription 'A Ibsen' (To Ibsen) suggests this was a tribute to the literary giant, signed with the artist's initials 'FV' in the corner.
- Technique
- Woodcut
- Material
- Ink on paper
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