Henry Somm
Original title: Henry Somm
kurzbeschreibung
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec made the zincograph Henry Somm in 1897. The sheet, 20 × 16 cm, shows the artist Henry Somm in an interior and belongs to a series of artists' portraits produced for the magazine Les Hommes d'Aujourd'hui.
Description
A figure in a top hat and glasses stands in the foreground, in profile or half-profile, apparently reading or writing. Behind him, sketchy figures suggest a public place such as a café. The front figure governs the layout; the other figures recede as accessories. Grey tones define the sheet, which has an even brightness without harsh contrasts.
Context
The portrait belongs to a series of contemporary figures published in Les Hommes d'Aujourd'hui. A drawing by Théophile Alexandre Steinlen, an illustrator and painter of the Belle Époque known for his socially critical scenes of Parisian life, served as the model. Toulouse-Lautrec translated it into zincography, a process he used often for his prints in the 1890s.
Impact
The restrained colouring and clear linework give the portrait something sober, almost documentary. It feels close and collected without dissolving the distance between viewer and sitter.
Technique
Zincography is a planographic process: a drawing is made on a zinc plate with greasy chalk, which is then etched and inked for printing. This allows fine lines, and the rapid reproduction suited magazine illustration in particular.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)