© Crédit photo : Fondation Félix Vallotton, Lausanne / Félix Vallotton, "Étude de main (La main de l'artiste)", 1885. Crayon sur papier, 22,5 x 27,2 cm. Lausanne

Vallotton. The Ingenious Laboratory

Where?
MCBA - Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts
When
From 24.10.2025 to 15.02.2026
Price
Free

In conjunction with “Vallotton Forever”, featuring the artist’s masterpieces, this small-format show focuses on the origins of Félix Vallotton’s work, exploring the various phases of his growing output in a surprising range of mediums, including illustration, engraving, painting, even writing.

Useful information

Address

MCBA - Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts
PLATEFORME 10 - Place de la Gare 16
1003 Lausanne

How to get there

Schedules

From 24.10.2025 to 15.02.2026
Tuesday
10:00 - 18:00
Wednesday
10:00 - 18:00
Thursday
10:00 - 20:00
Friday
10:00 - 18:00
Saturday
10:00 - 18:00
Sunday
10:00 - 18:00

Free

On 24 and 31 December: 10am to 5pm.
Closed on 25 December and 1 January.

Access
CFF train station: 3 minutes on foot
Bus 1, 3, 21, 60: «Lausanne-Gare» stop
Bus 6: «Cécil» stop
Metro M2: «Lausanne-Gare» stop

More info

Drawing on the extensive collections of the artist’s work in MCBA and the Félix Vallotton Foundation, the show explores the different techniques used by the artist throughout his career and the creative processes that are specific to each of them. This dynamic approach places the preparatory work and the completed works of art in dialogue, offering a novel look at Vallotton’s methods as well as the evolution of his artistic thinking.

The public is invited to discover a selection of the artist’s sketchbooks, tokens of his research campaigns in the field in preparation for the landscape paintings. More elaborate drawings, along with photographs, allow us to grasp the origins and construction of complex and ambitious compositions. The displays also bring to light his work as an engraver in copper and wood, with preparatory drawings, matrices, working proofs and definitive prints.

The show also looks to highlight Vallotton’s activities as an illustrator and newspaper draughtsman. Step by step, we follow the different phases of the printing process, from the original drawing right up to publication in books and periodicals. Finally, the display of manuscripts and writings reveals yet another facet of Vallotton, the literary output of a man who was not only a visual artist, but also an author and art critic.

Upcoming events

Lausanne Tourisme - Official Website
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.