Bust of Mlle. Marcelle Lender, Turned Three Quarters (Mlle. Marcelle Lender en buste, de trois quartes)

The work Bust of Mlle. Marcelle Lender, Turned Three Quarters (Mlle. Marcelle Lender en buste, de trois quartes) by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec captures one of the most celebrated figures of the Parisian stage. Created in 1898, this intimate study utilizes the medium of lithography, printed in a distinctive red-brown ink on a blue laid paper. This unusual color combination highlights the delicate texture of the paper while lending a warm, moody cast to the portrayal.

Toulouse-Lautrec was a defining artist of the French late 19th century, documenting the nightlife, theaters, and demimonde of the Fin de Siècle period (1876 to 1900). The actress Marcelle Lender was a frequent subject for the artist, celebrated not only for her performances but also for her striking physical presence. Here, she is captured in a compositional bust format, with her head turned to a three-quarters angle, granting the viewer a sense of immediacy and subtle movement. The artist employs his characteristic economy of line and masterful use of negative space to define the subject’s form and express her personality, rather than relying on heavy modeling.

As a master printmaker, Toulouse-Lautrec leveraged the accessibility of prints to widely distribute his observations of modern life, elevating the lithograph from a commercial tool to a serious art form. The technical precision and psychological insight demonstrated in this piece exemplify his mature style. This particular edition resides in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, where it stands as a significant record of the French graphic arts tradition during the Belle Époque. As the work is in the public domain, it remains widely accessible for study and appreciation globally.