Elles: The Seated Clown, Mlle Cha-u-Ka-o

Elles: The Seated Clown, Mlle Cha-u-Ka-o by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec is a masterful color lithograph created in 1896. This piece belongs to the famed Elles series, in which the artist observed and documented the complex lives of women, often within the enclosed, intimate world of Parisian brothels, music halls, and performance spaces. The chosen medium, color lithography, was integral to Toulouse-Lautrec’s practice, allowing him to achieve the painterly texture, subtle shading, and expressive lines characteristic of his mature style.

The subject, Mlle Cha-u-Ka-o, was a celebrated female acrobat and clown of the era, known for her energetic stage persona. Toulouse-Lautrec frequently captured dancers, singers, and performers, focusing on their candid reality rather than idealized portrayals. In this print, she is captured in a private moment of rest, still wearing the exaggerated makeup and costume required for the stage. The piece reveals a profound vulnerability beneath the theatrical facade, a hallmark of the artist's empathetic approach to his marginalized subjects.

This work exemplifies the focus on modern, urban life that defined French artistic production during the late 19th century. Classified simply as a print, the technical excellence of the lithograph demonstrates Lautrec’s skill in harnessing the commercial potential of the medium while elevating it to the realm of high art. The work is renowned for its composition and its historical significance, documenting the visual culture of France at the fin de siècle. This compelling print resides in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. High-quality images of this masterwork are often made available through public domain initiatives, ensuring widespread access to Toulouse-Lautrec’s influential legacy.