Your Mouth (from Les Vieilles Histoires) (1893, Met-Objekt 868)
Original title: Your Mouth (from Les Vieilles Histoires)
kurzbeschreibung
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec made "Dein Mund" in 1893 as a lithograph printed in red. It shows a seated figure holding an object in a raised hand. The print belongs to the series "Les Vieilles Histoires" and this impression is a later pull, produced after 1901.
Description
A figure appears in profile, the head tilted slightly back. The raised hand, fingers loosely open, grasps an object. The background remains sparse, formed by a few lines that make the silhouette stand out. Everything is in a single red on white paper, with no other colours or lighting effects. The drawing feels sketchy, the contours clear, and detailed shading is absent.
Context
The series "Les Vieilles Histoires" was created in 1893, a period when Toulouse-Lautrec was recognised in Paris as a graphic artist and painter of Montmartre. The print exists in only one state; after the artist's death in 1901, a posthumous reissue appeared. The motif draws on the literary basis of the series, which is based on poems by Jean Goudezki.
Impact
The single red creates a strong, almost graphic contrast and brings the linework to the fore. The concise, sketch-like approach feels immediate and expressive, without unnecessary details. The tilted head and raised hand give the figure something intimate and thoughtful.
Technique
The sheet was executed as a lithograph in red on wove paper. Only this one state exists, produced in a posthumous edition after 1901. Clear contours and a flat colour effect characterise the print, as was typical for the graphic art of that time.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)