Twee wandelende mannen met bolhoed 1894 - 1949

This color woodcut, “Two Men Walking with Bowler Hats,” was made by Bernard Boutet de Monvel in the early 20th century. I just love how he’s captured a slice of Parisian life. I can almost feel the artist carefully carving each layer of the woodblock, trying to simplify the scene down to its essential shapes and colors. What do you think he was thinking when he decided to only show us the backs of the two men? He certainly created a feeling of mystery to the image! I think the pale peach color he used for the street is really working for me. It almost feels like a stage that everything is set upon. Boutet de Monvel’s work has a graphic quality that reminds me of artists like Vuillard and Toulouse-Lautrec, but he brings his own unique vision to this print. All of these artists share a love of flattening space and exaggerating patterns.