Combing Hair, from "Elles"

Combing Hair, from "Elles," is a significant print created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1896. This work, classified as a lithograph, utilized a specialized technique involving crayon, brush, and spatter, printed in two colors on wove paper. It belongs to the artist's famed series Elles, a portfolio that provided a non-judgmental, intimate portrayal of women living and working in Parisian brothels. Rather than depicting overt sensuality, Toulouse-Lautrec focused on the domestic routines and private moments of these marginalized subjects.

The piece captures a figure engaged in the mundane, yet highly personalized act of grooming, specifically combing her hair. Toulouse-Lautrec was renowned for his observational skills, highlighting intimate details often overlooked in academic art. The broad, expressive strokes inherent in the crayon lithograph technique convey the weight and texture of the subject’s hair, emphasizing the central action. The economical use of just two colors enhances the contemplative, almost sculptural atmosphere, drawing the viewer’s attention toward form and composition rather than excessive detail.

As a leading example of French fin-de-siècle graphic arts, this lithograph showcases the technical innovation Toulouse-Lautrec brought to the medium of printmaking. The spontaneity achieved through the brushwork and the textural complexity introduced by the spatter technique underscore the artist's mastery of the medium. This historic print resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it serves as a crucial document of late 19th-century Parisian life and the exploration of women's experiences during the period.