Jos Hessel, Paris
Private Collection, France (acquired from the above in January 1933; sale: Sotheby's, London, 24th June 2002, lot 1) 
Purchased at the above sale by the present owner

Paris, Galerie Les Cadres, Les Peintres de la Revue Blanche, 1936
Paris, Galerie Durand-Ruel, Edouard Vuillard, 1961, no. 16
Paris, Galerie Maeght, Autour de la Revue Blanche, 1966, no. 60

Antoine Salomon & Guy Cogeval, Vuillard: The Inexhaustible Glance, Critical Catalogue of Paintings and Pastels, Paris, 2003, vol. I, no. III-49, illustrated in colour p. 199

The board is stable. There are two minor spots of retouching to the centre of the upper edge, visible under UV light. Apart from some minor paint losses, mainly to the upper edge (not visible when framed), probably due to previous framing, this work is in very good condition.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Painted in 1895, the present work depicts a row of women's heads, with exotic flowers in their hair creating brilliant points of colour, in the auditorium of a theatre. Vuillard's interest in the theatre extended to his designing play bills, illustrating programmes and painting stage sets. Actors and playwrights were among his close circle of friends and theatre people formed the most dominant group amongst his early patrons. Vuillard was a keen theatre-goer and himself became co-director of the Théâtre de l'œuvre, founded in Paris in 1893, which is the setting for the present work.

Vuillard captures the scene in a wonderfully vibrant and modern - almost abstract - manner. Vuillard wrote: 'A woman's head just gave to me a certain emotion; the emotion alone must be enough for me and I mustn't struggle to remember her nose or her ear, all that doesn't matter in the least' (E. Vuillard, September 1890). In Au théâtre de l'œuvre, the Nabis emphasis on bold surface and pattern is strikingly evoked: the vivid reds, deep browns and rich greens all form blocks of colour that create an abstracted, two-dimensional plane whilst simultaneously suggesting depth. The Nabis movement was strongly influenced by Symbolist writing, and this cross-fertilisation between the visual and the verbal arts is here given enduring testimony in this exuberant work.