Elles (portfolio cover)

Elles (portfolio cover) by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, created in 1896, served as the striking frontispiece for the artist’s celebrated suite of prints. This influential series offered an unvarnished view into the private lives of Parisian prostitutes in the maisons closes (brothels). Unlike many contemporary depictions, Toulouse-Lautrec focused on the women’s everyday routines, treating them as subjects of intimate study rather than spectacle.

The work is a highly refined example of fin-de-siècle commercial printing, executed as a crayon, brush, and spatter lithograph. Toulouse-Lautrec employed three distinct colors, demonstrating his innovative mastery of the printmaking process. Technical details, such as the visible watermark featuring G. Pellet and T. Lautrec, confirm this impression is the second state of three for the original frontispiece edition. This complex technique allowed the artist to achieve rich textures and nuanced shading, characteristic of his mature output of prints from 1896.

The composition prominently features two women, capturing the era's focus on intimate social interaction and fashion, particularly their stylized Hats. One woman adjusts her elaborate headwear while the other looks on, creating a moment of shared domesticity. Toulouse-Lautrec’s vision often emphasized candid, unposed interactions, giving the subjects a dignity rarely afforded by other artists working within this challenging social context. A highly significant lithograph within the artist's oeuvre, this piece contributes greatly to the history of graphic arts. This impression of Elles (portfolio cover) is housed in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.