Artwork
Cassive
Cassive is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. It dates from 1896 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1896, *Cassive* is a black lithograph executed on cream‑colored velin paper. The work presents a single nude figure rendered in stark monochrome, emphasizing line and silhouette over detail. Its composition centers on the relaxed posture of the woman, whose gaze is directed downward, offering a quiet, introspective moment within the artist’s broader engagement with Parisian nightlife.
Subject & Meaning
The image portrays a nude woman seated with her arms bent, hands resting on her thighs, and hair pulled back. Her head is turned slightly, eyes lowered, suggesting a contemplative or vulnerable state. While the figure is isolated from any explicit narrative, the work reflects Toulouse‑Lautrec’s interest in intimate portrayals of individuals within the social milieu of late‑19th‑century Paris.
Technique & Style
The print was produced by lithography, a planographic process that allows the artist to draw directly with greasy media on a flat stone or metal plate.
The print was produced by lithography, a planographic process that allows the artist to draw directly with greasy media on a flat stone or metal plate. Toulouse‑Lautrec employed bold, expressive lines in black ink, exploiting the contrast against the cream background to delineate the figure’s contours. The emphasis on line over shading aligns with his graphic approach in other prints of the period.
History & Provenance
Henri de Toulouse‑Lautrec, an aristocratic French artist known for his depictions of cabarets and brothels, created *Cassive* during a prolific phase of printmaking in the mid‑1890s. The lithograph was issued as part of his series of works exploring the human form and the atmosphere of Parisian entertainment venues. Its subsequent ownership history remains limited in public records, reflecting the modest circulation typical of his lithographic editions.
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.
