The Sulker (Boudeuse) 1900

Jacques Villon created this color etching titled 'The Sulker' to capture a fleeting emotion. The scene is intimate, a woman reclines on a bed, back turned, a figure of silent protest. Made in France, the print participates in the broader cultural fascination with modern femininity, its discontents, and shifting social roles at the turn of the 20th century. The boudeuse, or sulker, was a recurring figure in literature and art, embodying a kind of passive resistance within the domestic sphere. Villon was known for his involvement with avant-garde movements, such as Cubism, but here, the style is softer, perhaps reflecting an interest in capturing psychological nuance rather than formal innovation. We can look to fashion trends, medical literature and popular culture of the time to better understand the societal expectations of women. By looking at the institutional contexts that shaped the artist's world we can appreciate how Villon was engaging with, or critiquing, the social norms of his time.