Artwork
Lender Bowing (Lender saluant)
Lender Bowing (Lender saluant) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. It dates from 1895 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Henri de Toulouse‑Lautrec’s 1895 lithograph titled *Lender Bowing* (Lender saluant) presents a brief, gestural scene rendered in olive‑green ink on velin paper. The composition captures two formally dressed figures: one man bows deeply, hat in hand, while a second stands rigidly with a cane. The drawing is sketch‑like, with unfinished facial lines and a loosely suggested interior background.
Subject & Meaning
The work portrays a moment of deference, likely a greeting between acquaintances within a social or theatrical setting. The bowed figure’s exaggerated posture conveys both respect and a certain awkwardness, hinting at the performative conventions of late‑19th‑century Parisian nightlife that Toulouse‑Lautrec frequently explored.
Technique & Style
Executed as a lithograph, the image employs a limited palette of olive‑green ink, allowing for swift, expressive strokes. The artist’s use of velin paper enhances the texture of the ink, while the deliberately rough line work and minimal background suggest a rapid, on‑the‑spot study rather than a finished illustration.
History & Provenance
Created in 1895, the print belongs to the period when Toulouse‑Lautrec was actively documenting the theatrical and cabaret worlds of Montmartre. Though specific ownership details are scarce, the piece reflects the artist’s broader practice of producing inexpensive lithographic sketches for circulation among his contemporaries.
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.
