The Alarm 1895

"The Alarm" (1895) is a woodcut print by Swiss-born artist Félix Edouard Vallotton (1865-1925), now located at The Art Institute of Chicago. The woodcut depicts a scene of alarm, with a central figure in a coat, surrounded by a chaotic flurry of swans, some seemingly escaping. Vallotton is known for his stark black and white style, which creates a sense of graphic intensity and heightened tension in his works. This starkness is characteristic of the style of the _fin-de-siècle_ movement in the late 19th century, where artists explored a sense of anxiety and unease at the turn of the new century. The image also reveals Vallotton’s mastery of the woodcut medium, allowing for bold contrasts and sharp lines, capturing the fleeting moment of chaos.