Artwork
Bust of Mlle. Marcelle Lender, Turned Three Quarters (Mlle. Marcelle Lender en buste, de trois quartes)
Bust of Mlle. Marcelle Lender, Turned Three Quarters (Mlle. Marcelle Lender en buste, de trois quartes) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. It dates from 1898 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. This 1898 lithograph, 'Bust of Mlle.
About this work
The artist used a printing method called lithography, which lets them draw directly on the printing plate.
This is a blurry red-brown drawing on blue paper. You can just make out a woman’s face and shoulders turned slightly to the side. Her hair is pulled back, and the lines are loose, almost sketchy.
The artist used a printing method called lithography, which lets them draw directly on the printing plate. This piece was made in 1898, when artists were playing with quick, expressive lines.
Next, check out lithography to see how this printing technique works.
Overview
This 1898 lithograph, 'Bust of Mlle. Marcelle Lender, Turned Three Quarters,' is a print by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, featuring a woman in a three-quarter view. The work is executed in red-brown ink on blue laid paper.
Subject & Meaning
The subject is Mlle. Marcelle Lender, a performer, reflecting Toulouse-Lautrec's fascination with Parisian nightlife and theatrical culture. The artist's focus on entertainers and social scenes was a hallmark of his work.
Technique & Style
Toulouse-Lautrec employed lithography, allowing him to draw directly on the printing plate, resulting in loose, expressive lines. The technique enabled a spontaneous, sketchy quality, characteristic of the artist's style and the period's emphasis on quick, gestural marks.
History & Provenance
Created in 1898, this print is a product of Toulouse-Lautrec's mature period, when he was actively capturing the spirit of late 19th-century Parisian entertainment.
Artist & collection
Artist
Comte Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec-Montfa (24 November 1864 – 9 September 1901), known as Toulouse-Lautrec (French: ), was a French painter, printmaker, draughtsman, caricaturist, and illustrator.
