Elles: Woman In a Corset

Elles: Woman In a Corset is a defining color lithograph created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1896. This print belongs to the artist’s celebrated portfolio Elles, a suite of ten compositions dedicated to providing an intimate, unvarnished look at the private lives of women in Parisian brothels during the fin de siècle. Toulouse-Lautrec, a master of graphic arts, utilized the lithographic medium to its fullest potential, employing broad, buttery washes of color and simplified forms, reflecting his expertise in printmaking and his pioneering vision for poster art in France.

In this specific print, the composition focuses on a woman in an unguarded moment, seen in the act of tightening or adjusting her corset. The emphasis is not on performance or moral judgment, but on the ordinary routines and private labors of the subject, aligning with the artist’s commitment to capturing modern life with journalistic immediacy. This empathetic approach differentiated Toulouse-Lautrec’s work from the sensationalism typical of contemporary artistic representations of courtesans. The composition’s bold lines and areas of flat color demonstrate the profound influence of Japanese woodblock prints on Post-Impressionist aesthetics.

Classified as a pivotal example of late 19th-century French prints, this work exemplifies the period when reproductive techniques were elevated to fine art. The original color lithograph, Elles: Woman In a Corset, is housed within the prestigious collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Like many historically significant masterworks, this piece and others from the Elles series often enter the public domain over time, ensuring their preservation and accessibility for educational study and continued appreciation.