Bust of Mademoiselle Marcelle Lender (Mademoiselle Marcelle Lender, en buste) by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, created in 1895, stands as a premier example of graphic art from the late French 19th century. This specific medium, a highly refined color lithograph on wove paper, showcases Toulouse-Lautrec’s technical brilliance in printmaking. Dating to the period of 1876 to 1900, the work captures the Belle Époque’s fascination with celebrity and theatrical performance, subjects central to the artist’s Parisian output.
The subject is the celebrated actress and dancer Marcelle Lender, captured here shortly after her triumphant appearance in the operetta Chilpéric. Toulouse-Lautrec, deeply engaged with the Parisian entertainment scene, attended numerous performances, executing preparatory drawings directly from life. Unlike his typical observational sketches, this piece emphasizes intense color and pattern, moving beyond simple reportage into highly stylized portraiture.
The artist utilized the complex, demanding process of color lithography to render Lender’s elaborate stage costume and vibrant auburn hair, defining the silhouette against a modulated background. The delicate application of yellow and mauve tones, often layered and overlapping, demonstrates Toulouse-Lautrec’s innovative approach to commercial print design adapted for fine art prints. He successfully transformed the mechanical process of lithography into a flexible tool for expressive colorism, pushing the boundaries of the medium.
As one of the artist's most widely recognized works, this lithograph achieved instant fame upon its release. Its creation cemented Toulouse-Lautrec's reputation not only as a painter but as a master of modern prints, transforming commercial techniques into lasting high art. The print is housed in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C., preserving its historical and artistic integrity. Due to its age and cultural status, the preparatory studies and related editions of the work often reside within public domain catalogs, making the artistic legacy of Bust of Mademoiselle Marcelle Lender broadly accessible for appreciation and academic study.
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