Interior with Madame Hessel and her Dog

Jean Edouard Vuillard's harmonious colour scheme was achieved by his choice of materials. The picture was painted directly onto unprimed cardboard, its warm mid-tone often left untouched by any pigment. The surface of the cardboard is visible in all areas of the painting, particularly in the sofa and the floor. Lucie Hessel, wife of the art dealer Jos Hessel, was a close friend of the artist. Vuillard dined every evening at the couple's Paris apartment and often stayed in their country homes.He painted many portraits of Madame Hessel but here he has stepped back to show her in a relaxed domestic setting. The large dog provides a compositional link between the expanse of floor and the sofa and, with its wagging tail, animates the scene.