Waking Up, from "Elles" (1896, Met-Objekt 915)
Original title: Waking Up, from "Elles"
kurzbeschreibung
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec made "Aufwachen" in 1896 as part of his series "Elles". The lithograph shows a woman resting on a bed. It was printed in a muted green on wove paper and measures 40 x 51.9 cm.
Description
A sleeping woman lies on the bed, her hair falling loosely over her face, her dress spreading around her. Behind her, only vague outlines of a window or room elements can be guessed. The drawing feels loose and animated, the layout calm yet not static. The colouring stays simple, the light even, without harsh shadows or contrasts.
Context
The 1896 portfolio "Elles" deals with the lives of women in brothels, which Toulouse-Lautrec often visited. Ten lithographs were planned, but only 100 copies were sold. The intimate moment of waking fits into a sober, unromanticised view of the milieu that the artist pursued at the time.
Impact
The restrained colour choice and the woman's relaxed pose create a quiet, familiar mood. The loose linework makes the print feel spontaneous, almost like a sketch, and brings the viewer close to the private moment.
Technique
For this work Toulouse-Lautrec used lithography, executed in a single printing run in drab green on wove paper. The process allows soft transitions and a matte, flat effect, which the monochrome print enhances.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)