Chasing Light

In The Ball (1899), Swiss artist Félix Vallotton captures a fleeting moment of childhood joy with striking simplicity. From a bird’s-eye view, a child dashes across a sunlit park, chasing a vivid red ball. The child’s white smock billows and a yellow hat with a red ribbon tops their blond hair, creating a bright splash against the ochre ground and deep tree shadows. Two distant figures in long dresses observe quietly, adding depth to the tranquil scene. Vallotton’s composition, influenced by Japanese woodblock prints, invites viewers to pause and reflect on the ephemeral nature of innocence and play. This work can be seen at [The Musée d’Orsay, Paris,https://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/artworks/le-ballon-8032].