Moonlight (Clair de Lune) by Félix Vallotton (Interpretation and Analysis)

Clair de Lune
Source: Wikimedia Commons

French painter Félix Vallotton is probably best known for his paintings of domestic life in nineteenth century Paris. While his interior scenes have been rightly praised, he also executed many fascinating landscapes throughout his career.

Of these paintings, my personal favorite is Clair de Lune, which depicts the moon—half hidden by clouds—shining down on an empty field. Its light is reflected on the surface of a river, giving the painting a slightly eerie sense of symmetry. As many art historians have noted, Vallotton took an unconventional approach to landscapes, painting from odd or unusual angles. Vallotton was known for throwing out the rule book when it came to these scenes, choosing instead to simplify such scenes into something that gave emotional resonance. As Vallotton once wrote:

"I dream of a painting entirely disengaged from any literal concern about nature. I want to construct landscapes entirely based on the emotions that they have created in me, a few evocative lines, one or two details, chosen, without a superstition of the exactitude of the hour or the lighting."

To my mind, Clair de Lune is an excellent representation of this principle. It is almost a dreamscape, more of an otherworldly portrait of a state of mind than an image of a real place. As I mentioned above, the symmetry created by the moonlight reflected in the water injects a phantasmagorical element into the scene. It becomes difficult to know where the sky ends and the earth begins, all seems to be connected through some sort of visual magic. A tiny tree that is silhouetted against the horizon is the only concrete landmark offered to the viewer. Vallotton’s use of color really heightens this sense of mysticism. The blues and blacks of the sky and earth contrast significantly with the muted gold of the moon and clouds.

Though it is a rather strange painting, I find it to be rather beautiful and calming. It is certainly a fine example of Vallotton’s splendidly imaginative approach to creating these psychologically rich landscapes of the mind.

Disclaimer: I’m not an art historian or an expert on this topic. The above is my opinion, based on my interpretation of my foreknowledge of art and history. If I’ve done any additional research, I’ll note it above.