Benjamin Vautier (Swiss, 1829-1898)

From 1850 to 1853 Vautier lived in Düsseldorf, where he was taught by Carl Ferdinand Sohn and Rudolf Jordan. By 1857, he had settled permanently there. This scene from 1861, although naturalistic, is theatrically staged and delicately lit. He applied this formula repeatedly, avoiding social commentary or unpleasant subjects such as abject poverty or menial toil.