Portrait Bust of Mademoiselle Marcelle Lender (1895, Met-Objekt 799)
Original title: Portrait Bust of Mademoiselle Marcelle Lender
kurzbeschreibung
Unlike the other portraits of the dancer and singer Marcelle Lender, which Toulouse-Lautrec usually caught in motion or on stage, this print is devoted to a quiet moment of reading. The artist drew the crayon lithograph in 1895 in olive green on wove paper; it is presented here in the first of four states.
Description
The young woman appears half-length, her head bent over an open book. An elaborately decorated sleeve stands out on her dress, and her hair is pinned up. A round window in the background, possibly with a coat of arms or symbol, remains suggested. The layout is asymmetrical and draws the eye to the reader and her book. Fine lines and restrained shading define the drawing, which is entirely in muted olive green.
Context
Marcelle Lender was one of the well-known dancers and singers of Belle Époque Paris and often appeared on stage in operettas and revues. Toulouse-Lautrec portrayed her several times, including in lithographs. The print of 1895 was made during a phase when the artist regularly produced lithographs for posters and illustrations. Only two impressions of the first state are known, which points to a rare early version.
Impact
The muted olive-green tonality gives the portrait a calm, intimate mood. As the sitter pauses, she seems focused yet elegant. The fine lithograph emphasizes the linework and lends the sheet graphic clarity.
Technique
For this crayon lithograph, greasy chalk was drawn on a lithographic stone. The printing ink is olive green and creates an unusual but characteristic tone. The sheet represents the first of four states, that is, an early pull variant.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)