Getting Up, from "Elles" (1896, Met-Objekt 920)
Original title: Getting Up, from "Elles"
kurzbeschreibung
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec made this lithograph in 1896 as part of "Elles," a series devoted to life inside Parisian brothels. Here a woman and a child share a quiet domestic moment. The print was pulled in four colors on laid paper.
Description
Two figures fill the sheet: a woman seated on a bed at left, looking toward a child who turns to face her on the right. Faces and clothing stay suggested rather than described, with almost no detail. A red-striped fabric covers the bed and reappears at the lower right. Behind the figures a yellowish, wave-like shape runs across the room. The palette stays muted and close to pastel — white, gray, and a touch of red.
Context
In 1896 Toulouse-Lautrec was at work on "Elles," a portfolio of ten lithographs. It presents women in their private moments and steers clear of the usual clichés about prostitution. The theme of getting up captures the intimate, unguarded instant just after waking.
Impact
The pared-down handling and pastel tones create a quiet, almost tender mood. Because the faces are left out, attention settles on posture and on how the two figures relate. The scene thus feels general and timeless.
Technique
For this sheet Toulouse-Lautrec used lithography, printed in four colors on laid paper. The process allowed soft transitions and fine gradations of color that heighten the pastel impression. The laid paper gives the surface a matte, refined character.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)