IV. A Menilmontant de Bruant

IV. A Menilmontant de Bruant is a definitive lithograph created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1898. This late-career work exemplifies the artist's dedication to printmaking as a primary medium for documenting contemporary life. The piece was technically produced using lithography, specifically printed with a beige tint stone on laid paper, which imparts a warm, nuanced depth to the composition. This sophisticated technical approach elevates the print beyond simple illustration, classifying it as a masterful example of fin-de-siècle graphic art.

Toulouse-Lautrec was renowned for his unflinching and often sympathetic portrayals of Parisian culture and the individuals associated with its vibrant, often marginalized, nightlife. The work's title references Menilmontant, a district associated with entertainment, suggesting the subject is one of the many women who inhabited the city's music halls, theaters, or cafés-concerts during the era. Toulouse-Lautrec utilizes economical lines and expressive figures, hallmarks of his Post-Impressionist style, emphasizing mood and character.

The series of prints produced by Toulouse-Lautrec in the 1890s are essential cultural documents, demonstrating how the lithograph could be transformed from a commercial advertisement medium into a profound artistic statement. The subtle use of the beige tint stone in IV. A Menilmontant de Bruant adds tonal complexity and atmosphere, preventing the image from feeling purely graphic. This piece is held in the extensive collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it serves as a critical example of French graphic art. Today, the enduring influence of Toulouse-Lautrec's prints continues, with many of these masterpieces entering the public domain, ensuring widespread study and appreciation.