Elles (portfolio cover) (1896, Met-Objekt 912)
Original title: Elles (portfolio cover)
kurzbeschreibung
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec made this title page in 1896 for the lithographic portfolio "Elles." A woman in a blue dress throws both arms upward, caught as if mid-movement. The print combines crayon, brush, and spatter on wove paper and survives in the second of three states.
Description
A standing woman in a blue dress and orange hat raises her arms, her pose held in the middle of a gesture. Behind her sits another figure in a pale dress and a black top hat. The arrangement is weighted unevenly, pushing the front figure forward. Soft pastel tones fill the sheet; light stays even, with no hard shadows. Curving lines and gentle transitions between colors point to Art Nouveau.
Context
The 1896 portfolio "Elles" gathers scenes from Parisian nightlife, brothels among them. Toulouse-Lautrec had the lithographs printed as an edition, and this sheet belongs to the second of three states. Showing women in private, everyday moments so directly was an unusual step for its time.
Impact
The pale coloring and the woman's lively pose join elegance with movement. Because the layout steers the eye straight to the main figure, the image feels natural and unforced.
Technique
The lithograph was printed in three colors, using crayon, brush, and spatter. The wove paper and the second state as a frontispiece edition match the printing practice of the day. Together the methods yield both fine lines and soft passages of color.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)