American Singer (from Le Café Concert) (1893, Met-Objekt 796)
Original title: American Singer (from Le Café Concert)
kurzbeschreibung
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec made the lithograph 'Amerikanische Sängerin' in 1893 as part of his series 'Le Café Concert.' It shows a person in a patterned shirt and hat, one hand on the hat and the other on the knee. The print is a black brush and spatter lithograph on wove paper and exists in only one state.
Description
The figure wears a checkered shirt and a hat. Their right hand touches the hat, while the left rests on the knee. A plain white background frames the figure and draws attention to it. The style is simple yet rich in detail, marked by brushstrokes and spatter technique. Black on white, with no shading or highlights.
Context
This sheet belongs to the series 'Le Café Concert,' created in 1893 and capturing Parisian entertainment life of the Belle Époque. Toulouse-Lautrec often focused on singers and dancers in cabarets and cafés. The lithograph was printed in an edition and aimed at collectors and art lovers interested in Parisian nightlife.
Impact
The limited palette and white ground create a concentrated, almost intimate mood that emphasizes the figure's gesture. Brushstrokes and spontaneous splatters work together, giving the image liveliness and an immediate, sketch-like quality.
Technique
For this print, Toulouse-Lautrec used brush and spatter lithography, printed in black on wove paper. The only state shows his typical combination of fluid brushwork and spattered ink drops, which create texture and movement.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)