The Assassination
1893
Félix Vallotton’s chilling woodcut "L’assassinat" drops us right into a silent, terrifying bedroom scene. A figure lies slumped over the edge of a bed, seemingly lifeless, while a sinister hand clutching a knife peeks menacingly over the headboard. Created in 1893 as part of his famous "Intimités" series, this stark black-and-white illustration perfectly captures the dark, psychological tension of the Symbolist movement. Vallotton was a master of the woodcut revival, using sharp contrasts to turn ordinary domestic spaces into stages for suspense and murder.