← Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

Elles (poster for 1896 exhibition at La Plume) (1896, Met-Objekt 864)

Original title: Elles (poster for 1896 exhibition at La Plume)

Artist

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

Date

1896

Medium

Crayon, brush, and spatter lithograph printed in four colors on beige wove paper; third of three states (poster edition)

Dimensions

Image: 22 11/16 × 18 1/4 in. (57.7 × 46.3 cm) Sheet: 24 1/8 × 18 1/2 in. (61.2 × 47 cm)

Credit line

Bequest of Clifford A. Furst, 1958

kurzbeschreibung

In 1896, this poster announced the exhibition 'Elles' at Galerie La Plume. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec chose a four-color lithograph for the design, executed with crayon, brush, and spatter on beige wove paper. A woman in a blue dress is shown turning to the left, one hand raised to her head.

Description

A woman in a blue dress with a white bodice turns left, her hand at her head. Her hair is orange. Behind her, faint outlines of headwear and a hat can be made out. Beige dominates, with blue, orange, and red providing accents. At the bottom edge of the sheet are details about the exhibition and the publisher G. Pellet.

Context

The poster was made for the 'Elles' exhibition, held on April 22, 1896, at 31 Rue Bonaparte at La Plume in Paris. The lithographs were published by G. Pellet, located at 9, Quai Voltaire in Paris. Toulouse-Lautrec created the 'Elles' series around 1896 as a portrayal of life in brothels.

Impact

The limited color palette and expressive linework give the sheet a calm, intimate mood. The woman appears both reserved and sensual, which sparks curiosity about the exhibition.

Technique

Lithography was used for the poster, printed in four colors with crayon, brush, and spatter on beige wove paper. This is the third of three states, the so-called poster edition. Spatter and crayon drawing together create delicate tonal gradations and a lively surface.

AI-generated description text

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)