Jane Avril (from Le Café Concert)

Jane Avril (from Le Café Concert), created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1893, is an important example of the artist's skill in printmaking and his dedication to documenting Parisian nightlife. This particular work is a brush and spatter lithograph, printed meticulously in black on wove paper, representing the only state of the image. The unique technical approach of the brush and spatter technique allows Toulouse-Lautrec to render form and texture with rapid spontaneity, achieving a sketch-like quality that captures movement. The work belongs to the era when the artist was deeply immersed in the world of the Café Concerts and dance halls of Montmartre.

The subject is Jane Avril, one of the most iconic dancers of the era and a frequent collaborator and muse for the artist. Toulouse-Lautrec portrays her not merely as a performer, but as an individual defined by her distinctive, angular movement and recognizable profile. This piece powerfully contributes to the body of prints dedicated to the women who populated the entertainment sphere. The composition is focused and stark, emphasizing the figure of the dancer against a minimal background, highlighting the intense, ephemeral energy of the stage performance.

As a foundational figure in modern graphic arts, Toulouse-Lautrec elevated the medium of the lithograph from simple commercial advertising to high art. The artist’s innovative treatment of line, light, and shadow made his posters and prints instantly recognizable. This impressionistic print remains a crucial reference point for the study of late nineteenth-century graphic design and is classified as a print within the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.