Andrée 1900

Jacques Villon created this color aquatint titled 'Andrée' using etching and drypoint techniques. This print gives us a glimpse into the world of Parisian bourgeois society. The sitter, elegantly dressed and coiffed, is depicted in a moment of repose. The artist has focused on rendering the fashions and tastes of his time. Villon belonged to a family of artists and his brothers Raymond Duchamp-Villon and Marcel Duchamp were both leading figures in the Parisian avant-garde. However, Villon adopted a more conservative style associated with printmaking, and he participated in the revival of interest in traditional printmaking techniques. The print medium allowed artists to reach a broader public than painting, but printmaking was also perceived as being a more ‘craft-based’ activity, and therefore less elevated than painting. To better understand the social and cultural context of this image, we can look at fashion magazines and social commentaries from the period. These documentary sources help the art historian reveal the hidden meanings of art.