Émilie
Original title: Émilie
kurzbeschreibung
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec painted Émilie in the late 1890s. A woman in a yellow coat and dark blue trousers stands with her back to us, watching a couple on a path. The picture is oil on wood and measures 41.3 × 32.4 cm.
Description
Foregrounded, turned away, the woman wears a yellow coat, dark blue trousers and a black hat with a red plume. She follows with her eyes a couple walking off along a path. At the right, farther back, a man rides a brown horse. A green field and a cloudy sky fill the rest, with pastel tones dominating.
Context
The picture dates from the late 1890s, when Toulouse-Lautrec often recorded Paris nightlife and its habitués. Émilie may have been an acquaintance or a model from his circle; the exact circumstances of the painting are not documented. During this period he worked more often in oil on wood and liked to catch his subjects in ordinary, incidental moments.
Impact
The arrangement feels quiet and casual, almost like a passing moment of everyday life. Pastel colours and visible brushwork give the image something lively and sketch-like, drawing the viewer into the scene.
Technique
Oil on wood gives a smooth yet still textured surface. The brushstrokes remain clearly visible and reinforce the loose, impressionistic effect; the pastel tones came from mixing the oil paints.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)