Felix Valloton - The white and the black

• Title: The white and the black (La Blanche et la Noire)
• Artist: Felix Valloton (1865-1925)
• Date: 1913
• Medium: Oil on canvas
• Dimensions: 114 cm x 147 cm

The painting "The white and the black" represents a nude white woman asleep on a bed with a fully dressed black woman sitting by her side smoking a cigarette.

Some critics have noted the contrast between Suzanne Vallotton's painting and Manet’s "Olympia"- Olympia awake and controlling the viewer with her gaze versus Suzanne's model asleep; the black maid of Olympia in the back holding deferently a bouqet versus the maid being here in the front of stage smoking a cigarette; the elaborate wall fabric and bedding of Olympia's room versus the plain green wall and plain white sheets in this case.The painting "The white and the black" represents a nude white woman asleep on a bed with a fully dressed black woman sitting by her side smoking a cigarette.

Some critics have noted the contrast between Félix Vallotton's painting and Manet’s "Olympia"- Olympia awake and controlling the viewer with her gaze versus Félix's model asleep; the black maid of Olympia in the back holding deferently a bouqet versus the maid being here in the front of stage smoking a cigarette; the elaborate wall fabric and bedding of Olympia's room versus the plain green wall and plain white sheets in this case.

Félix Vallotton's painting highlights equality between people and difference in social status.

Suzanne Vallotton's painting highlights equality between people and difference in social status.