This painting was the right half of a decorative panel commissioned by Jean Schopfer, a writer who published under the pen name Claude Anet. In 1935, over 30 years after its completion, Vuillard cut the panel into two and reworked it; the other half, La Terrasse at Vasouy, the Garden, is also in the National Gallery’s collection.
Many members of this elegant group were part of the literary and artistic scene in Paris. From left to right are the artist Pierre Bonnard, Madame Alice Schopfer and Monsieur Jean Schopfer, the novelist Romain Coolus, Misia Natanson, Lucy Hessel, Madame ‘Bob’ Schopfer and Monsieur Louis Schopfer and the writer Tristan Bernard.
Lucy Hessel, who was married to Vuillard’s patron Jos Hessel, was the host of this gathering in 1901. She wasn’t originally in the picture – Vuillard added her and her collie dog Basto when he reworked the painting. She replaced the earlier figures of Léon and Lise Blum.
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