Vallotton’s approach in this portrait leans towards simplicity and clarity, with a carefully finished appearance that recalls the sober elegance of academic painting. Although he had been associated with Les Nabis, by the time he painted Valérie Haasen, wife of Georges Haasen, he had embraced a more realistic and precise style, moving away from the decorative surfaces of his earlier work. The era was moving towards bold avant-garde experiments, yet Vallotton’s work here remains firmly grounded in the dignity and solid formality that continued to uphold the careful traditions of the past. Georges Haasen was unhappy with the painting and returned it to Vallotton in 1912 for reworking; in particular, he was disappointed with what he described as 'the badly drawn arm'.