Les Ailes au Théâtre de l’Oeuvre c. 1894

Editor: This is "Les Ailes au Théâtre de l’Oeuvre" by Édouard Vuillard, around 1894, made with oil paint. The dark colours and indistinct forms give it a very mysterious and almost secretive mood, especially the obscured figures. What’s your take on this piece? Curator: It's interesting you say that, considering Vuillard's focus. I see a painting deeply rooted in the material conditions of its creation. Consider the thick impasto: it's not just about depicting figures, but about the labor involved, the cost of paint, the physicality of the act. Think about who had access to such materials. Editor: I never thought about it that way! I was focused on the Post-Impressionist style and Intimist theme, but now you have pointed that out, what was it like acquiring pigments at this point in history? Curator: Precisely! And what does it mean to represent a theater, a space of performance and consumption, with these expensive materials? Vuillard isn't just painting a scene; he's participating in a system of artistic production, tied to economics. It raises questions: who are the consumers, who is the painter, what's the social status of the audience? Editor: It makes me wonder about the link between the theatre as a public spectacle and painting as an economic act. Was Vuillard trying to emphasize the relationship between those that manufacture the image, and the people within? Curator: Exactly! Think about the divisions of labor in art at this time. The rise of art dealers, the growing art market. The “means of production,” as it were, of artistic creation. That intense focus on materiality provides, from this perspective, new interpretations, rather than symbolism or feelings. Editor: This makes me rethink how I initially perceived it. Instead of just an evocative scene, it becomes an exploration of artistic and economic systems. Thanks for sharing such insight! Curator: Indeed. Seeing the artwork through that critical and more materialistic perspective can change the focus away from subject and instead towards the broader networks.