Collapsed on the Bed, from "Elles"

Collapsed on the Bed, from "Elles" is a powerful 1896 print by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, created during the height of his engagement with the demimonde of Montmartre. This piece is a sophisticated crayon lithograph, utilizing two distinct colors on wove paper to achieve a soft, textured effect. The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds this work, which was produced as part of the artist's highly influential portfolio, Elles.

The Elles series, completed that year, broke ground by offering an unprecedentedly intimate and unromanticized look at the daily lives of women working in Parisian brothels. Instead of capturing them in performance or interaction with clients, Toulouse-Lautrec focused on domestic privacy, exhaustion, and solitude. In Collapsed on the Bed, the subject’s vulnerability is central as she lies prone and deeply asleep across the mattress. The artist’s choice of the bed as the setting emphasizes the duality of the space-as both a site of labor and the only possible retreat for rest.

Toulouse-Lautrec was a master of the graphic arts, utilizing the medium of lithography to achieve swift, economical lines that convey psychological depth. His style, influenced by Japanese prints, allowed him to capture the subject’s mood with minimal detail and maximal impact. As one of the most studied images from the Elles portfolio, this work remains crucial for understanding late 19th-century social documentation. The enduring significance of this piece ensures that prints and high-quality reproductions continue to be widely accessible, making this masterful graphic art available for public study and scholarship.