Mary Hamilton (from Le Café Concert) (1893, Met-Objekt 789)
Original title: Mary Hamilton (from Le Café Concert)
kurzbeschreibung
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec produced the lithograph Mary Hamilton in 1893, presenting a standing figure in a relaxed, upright pose. The sheet was printed in light olive green ink on sturdy wove paper. It belongs to a series that captures the nightlife of Paris.
Description
A figure appears in a sleeveless top and trousers held by a belt; one hand is slightly raised. Vague shapes behind suggest a window or door frame. Soft light gives the view a calm, collected mood. The image is uniformly rendered in a light olive green that brings out both contours and flat areas.
Context
The lithograph was made in 1893 for the portfolio Le Café Concert, which introduced artists of the Parisian variety stage and cafés. Mary Hamilton was a singer who performed in such venues. Issued in a limited edition, the portfolio helped establish lithography as an independent art form. The sheet is part of the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is available as public domain (CC0).
Impact
Because the palette is reduced and the linework remains loose, the sheet feels immediate and sketch-like. The sitter's calm posture contrasts with the usual bustle of the café-concert milieu, creating an intimate, almost private atmosphere.
Technique
Executed with brush and crayon on the stone, the lithograph was printed in a single pass in light olive green ink on wove paper. Brush and crayon allow both fine linear accents and broad tonal areas. The impression is known in only one state.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)