La Manifestation (The Demonstration)

Félix Vallotton

National Gallery of Art

This is a drawing of a chaotic scene on a street. The scene is depicted with bold black lines on a plain background. A group of individuals are shown running and falling in different directions. The style is simplified and graphic, focusing on the contrast between light and dark. The composition directs the eye through a crowd, where hats and scarves are swirling. In the foreground, a top hat and umbrella have been dropped. The piece resembles the expressive graphic style associated with early 20th-century European printmaking.