Jane Hading (1898, Met-Objekt 847)
Original title: Jane Hading
kurzbeschreibung
Unlike many of her contemporaries, this 1898 color lithograph by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec shows the actress Jane Hading not in a theatrical role but in a relaxed seated pose. The sheet is executed as a crayon lithograph on china paper.
Description
The sitter is seated and turns her head to the left. A dress is draped over her shoulder. The strokes appear loose and flowing, which emphasizes the sketchy quality. The background remains empty, and the paper shows a brownish, rough texture. Gray and brown tones dominate the image.
Context
The sheet was made in 1898 in Paris, when Toulouse-Lautrec had become particularly known for posters and prints. Jane Hading was one of the well-known actresses of the Belle Époque. The portrait is part of a series the artist created for the journal 'L'Estampe originale'.
Impact
The loose linework gives the portrait an immediate, spontaneous quality. Because all accessories are absent, the viewer's attention is directed entirely to the seated woman and her posture.
Technique
The sheet is a crayon lithograph on china paper, a fine, smooth paper used for prints. The varying stroke thickness suggests a combination of lithographic crayon and ink. As is customary for high-quality prints, the china paper was mounted on a support sheet.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)