Swiss museums to mark centenary of death of painter Félix Vallotton

Born in Lausanne in 1865, Félix Vallotton was known for his work as a painter, engraver and illustrator. Keystone-SDA

Swiss museums will celebrate the centenary of the death of the artist Félix Vallotton (1865-1925) next year. A major retrospective is planned in Lausanne, his birthplace, in autumn.

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The cantonal museum of fine arts in Lausanne (MCBA), which holds the world’s largest collection of works by the artist, and the Fondation Félix Vallotton will present “Vallotton forever”, an “exceptional retrospective”. It will bring together 200 major works loaned from public and private collections in Switzerland and Europe from October 24, 2025 to February 15, 2026.

In dialogue

At the same time, “Vallotton. L’ingénieux laboratoire”, a small-format exhibition, will focus on the genesis of the artist’s work. It will explore his different periods of creation, in areas that include illustration, engraving, painting and writing.

In 2025, the Photo Elysée and mudac museums will also organise events about the Swiss painter, engraver, illustrator and writer.

+ Swiss painter Félix Vallotton showcased in London

Meanwhile, the Musée Jenisch in Vevey will invite artists and students from the École cantonale d’art de Lausanne (ECAL) to pay tribute to Vallotton. From January 29 to May 25, 2025, their works will be presented alongside a selection of the artist’s paintings from the institution’s collections.

Celebrated in Winterthur

In German-speaking Switzerland, the Kunst Museum Winterthur is devoting a major exhibition to the painter at the Villa Flora, where he was a much-appreciated guest. From April 12 to September 7, “Vallotton. Illusions perdues” takes a fresh look at the work and the artist, with over 150 works.

+ Félix Vallotton: Precious Moments

Vallotton enjoyed particular recognition in Winterthur, where he was encouraged and celebrated during his lifetime.

And in Ascona

And finally, in canton Ticino the Museo Castello San Materno in Ascona will present an exhibition focusing on Vallotton’s landscape, still life and nude paintings from May 11 to September 7. Thanks to loans from an important Swiss private collection, which has not been exhibited for years, the public will be able to discover his emblematic paintings.

Several books will also be published to mark the centenary. These include a catalogue of 1,200 drawings and illustrations. It will also be published in electronic form and be accessible free of charge online (vallotton-illustrateur.ch).

Translated from French by DeepL/sb

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