Mary Hamilton (from Le Café Concert) (1893, Met-Objekt 891)
Original title: Mary Hamilton (from Le Café Concert)
kurzbeschreibung
Mary Hamilton, the singer, stands upright – this is how Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec shows her in his 1893 lithograph. The sheet belongs to the series 'Le Café Concert' and was printed as a brush and crayon lithograph in light olive green on Japan paper.
Description
An upright figure, in a sleeveless top and trousers held by a belt, one hand slightly raised. The drawing remains elegant and spare. Shadowy vertical strokes in the background suggest a curtain. The light olive tone runs through the whole image. At the bottom sits a small round seal with two letters.
Context
In the early 1890s, with 'Le Café Concert', Toulouse-Lautrec portrayed Parisian nightlife and its performers. Mary Hamilton appeared as a singer in the cafés-concerts, a popular form of entertainment at the time. The 1893 lithograph falls in a phase when the artist captured the bohemian and variety world in posters and prints.
Impact
The few colours and clear lines give the sheet a calm, almost graphic elegance. Despite the sparse details, the upright posture appears self-assured and present. The texture of the Japan paper and the light olive tone create a fine, noble feel that draws the viewer closer.
Technique
Printed in a single state, as a brush and crayon lithograph in light olive green on sturdy Japan paper, valued for its fine surface and absorbency. Brush and crayon allow soft as well as precise lines and thus support the minimalist aesthetic.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)