The Milliner 1894

Félix Edouard Vallotton made this woodcut, called 'The Milliner', sometime around the turn of the century. In fin-de-siècle Paris, fashion was an industry, a form of spectacle, and a symbol of modern life. Vallotton worked in a traditional medium, woodcut, but he was influenced by Japanese prints. The flat shapes, stark contrasts, and compressed space heighten the image’s artificiality. He was part of a group of artists known as 'Les Nabis', who aimed to break down the traditional hierarchy of art. They wanted to design everything, from theater sets to wallpaper. In this print, women are shown in pursuit of the latest trends. A milliner's shop becomes a site where social identities are constructed and negotiated. Vallotton offers an ambiguous view of this world. Is he celebrating female consumerism? Is he critiquing it? We might consult fashion magazines, department store catalogs, and social commentaries from that period to help us better understand the cultural politics of fashion. By studying these sources, we can explore the complex relationship between art, commerce, and society.