Combing Their Hair

"Combing Their Hair," created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1896, is an exceptional example of the artist's prolific and groundbreaking output in graphic arts. This intimate piece is a lithograph printed in two colors, demonstrating Toulouse-Lautrec’s technical mastery of the demanding print medium, which he utilized extensively to capture the fleeting moments of Parisian social life at the turn of the century. The deliberate constraints of the two-color palette heighten the raw, immediate atmosphere of the scene, emphasizing line and form over detailed color work.

The subject matter falls squarely within a significant area of Toulouse-Lautrec’s oeuvre: unidealized depictions of women in private or domestic environments. Here, the artist focuses on two female figures engaged in the ritualistic activity of tending to their hair. The composition captures a moment of quiet repose and camaraderie, far removed from the dazzling stages and boisterous cabarets for which the artist is perhaps best known. Toulouse-Lautrec often sought to elevate these candid, mundane moments, offering the viewer an unfiltered glimpse into lives rarely represented in traditional fine art. The flowing, dark lines used to describe the hair are characteristic of his expressive and influential graphic style.

This specific impression of the print is held within the esteemed collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As a major work from the late 19th century, Combing Their Hair highlights Toulouse-Lautrec's crucial role as a keen observer of modernity. His innovative use of color and sharp attention to human behavior revolutionized both poster art and the general standing of artistic prints. Many major works of this era are now widely accessible for study and appreciation, contributing significantly to the visual record available through public domain collections.