The Seated Clowness (Mademoiselle Cha-u-ka-o), from "Elles" (1896, Met-Objekt 913)
Original title: The Seated Clowness (Mademoiselle Cha-u-ka-o), from "Elles"
kurzbeschreibung
Created in 1896, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec's lithograph 'The Seated Clowness (Mademoiselle Cha-u-ka-o)' portrays a woman in a clown costume seated on a red platform. The print belongs to the series 'Elles,' which captures scenes from the Montmartre entertainment district of Paris. The work was executed as a crayon, brush, and spatter lithograph in five colors on wove paper.
Description
A woman with a striking yellow collar and a white headband bearing a yellow bow sits on a red platform. Behind her appear two figures: one in a pink dress, another in a gray suit with a black bowler hat. Warm, soft light bathes the scene, emphasizing tones of yellow, red, and brown. Crayon and brush strokes give the image a detailed, lively effect.
Context
Toulouse-Lautrec created the 'Elles' portfolio in 1896, after spending time in brothels and cabarets of Montmartre. In it, he shows women in private and professional situations, often with ironic or detached titles. Mademoiselle Cha-u-ka-o was a well-known clown in the Parisian circus and variety milieu. During this period, the artist established printmaking as an independent artistic medium.
Impact
Bright colors and the figure's relaxed posture evoke a mixed mood that fluctuates between stage presence and intimacy. The warm lighting and reduced composition draw the eye to the clowness, whose costume seems both exotic and everyday.
Technique
For this print, Toulouse-Lautrec combined crayon, brush, and spatter techniques with a scraper in lithography. It was printed in five colors on wove paper with a watermark. Since only a single state (only state) exists, careful control of the printing process by the artist can be assumed.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)