Artwork
Luce Myres in Profile (Luce Myrès, de profil)
Luce Myres in Profile (Luce Myrès, de profil) 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
Executed in olive green ink on paper, the work belongs to a series of portrait studies the artist made during a period of intense focus on individual character.
Created in 1895, this lithograph by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec depicts Luce Myrès, a woman associated with Parisian entertainment circles. Executed in olive green ink on paper, the work belongs to a series of portrait studies the artist made during a period of intense focus on individual character. Its restrained palette and minimal lines reflect Lautrec’s interest in capturing presence over ornamentation.
Subject & Meaning
Luce Myrès, likely a performer or regular in Montmartre’s cabarets, is shown in a three-quarter profile, her gaze averted. The composition avoids idealization, presenting her with unembellished realism. Her loosely pinned hair and plain attire suggest informality, reinforcing the artist’s tendency to portray subjects in unguarded moments rather than staged personas.
Technique & Style
Lautrec employed lithography to achieve a fluid, sketch-like quality. The olive green tone, applied with sparse, confident lines, defines the face and neck while leaving the dress implied rather than detailed. The background is left unmodulated, directing attention to the subtle contours of the subject’s features. The technique echoes drawing on paper, emphasizing immediacy over finish.
History & Provenance
The print was produced during Lautrec’s most active period in Montmartre, when he regularly documented the people he encountered in theaters and cafés. Though specific early ownership records are limited, the work aligns with other lithographs from his 1894–1896 output, many of which were circulated in limited editions among collectors and artists.
Context
In mid-1890s Paris, lithography was gaining favor among avant-garde artists for its accessibility and tonal range. Lautrec’s focus on marginalized figures—dancers, performers, sex workers—challenged traditional portraiture. This piece fits within a broader effort to record urban life with psychological honesty, detached from academic conventions.
Legacy
The work exemplifies Lautrec’s influence on modern graphic art, demonstrating how simplicity and selective detail could convey psychological depth. His use of lithography as a vehicle for intimate portraiture paved the way for later artists exploring the expressive potential of print media beyond commercial reproduction.
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.
