(Lausanne 1865–1925 Paris)

Wolken. 1894.

Woodcut. From a rare and unknown edition, posthumous print from 1965. Image 27 x 19 cm on vélin 54 x 34 cm.

Literature: Durcet, Marina: Félix Vallotton. L’œuvre peint, 2005, band III, p. 884f., no. VIIb.

This work has been designed as the background block for the cover for Wagner's "Valkyrie".
In the monograph dedicated to the artist in 1898, Julius Meier-Graefe writes: “I have a woodcarving by Vallotton – three blocks, which he intended as the cover for Wagner’s ‘Die Walküre’ (The Valkyrie), which convey the fire magic in a thrillingly decorative form”. This is a decorative art object, a bound musical score, comprising three individual woodcuts, of which today probably only two are still in existence. In a catalogue raisonné of the woodcuts, Meier-Graefe explains: “We are listing the three plates, as they could be printed, although they are not intended as such”. In 1965 just a small number of posthumous prints of the background block were made. These were entitled “Wolken” (Clouds) and are extremely rare today.