Interior at Saint-Jacut 1909

Édouard Vuillard created this intimate interior scene with pastel on paper. Notice the open doorway and the arrangement of figures—a man, a child, a woman at a table, and a dog. The doorway, an ancient symbol of transition, invites contemplation. Consider how the motif of the threshold—seen here in the doorway—echoes through art history. From the Roman god Janus, the gatekeeper, to Renaissance Annunciation scenes, thresholds signify pivotal moments. Vuillard presents a different inflection, using the motif to suggest introspection and domesticity. The dog is a symbol that has journeyed through time, as well. In medieval art, dogs symbolized fidelity. Yet, observe this dog: sprawled out, seemingly indifferent. Here, the dog becomes less an emblem of loyalty, and more a symbol of the everyday, of the unheroic aspects of domestic life. Vuillard touches upon a profound, perhaps subconscious understanding. The cyclical progression of symbols is ever-present, resurfacing, evolving, and taking on new meanings in each artist's hands.