La fillette nue: Menu (The Nude Little Girl: Menu) is a highly illustrative color lithograph by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec French, 1864-1901. Created in 1898, this print classification demonstrates the artist’s characteristic engagement with intimate, unidealized depictions of fin-de-siècle Parisian life. The medium of color lithography on ivory wove paper was crucial to the artistic output of the 1890s in France, allowing Lautrec to achieve subtle tonal variations and expressive lines suited to his subject matter.
Toulouse-Lautrec was a master of the printmaking process, utilizing the lithographic stone to capture moments with immediate spontaneity. Though titled as a menu, suggesting a commercial or functional origin, the piece functions foremost as an artistic study, portraying a young, nude female figure in a moment of candid observation. The fluid, abbreviated lines and carefully modulated colors reflect the influence of Japanese ukiyo-e prints, a key inspiration for many artists during this period. Lautrec’s technique eschewed academic polish in favor of raw realism, positioning him as a critical chronicler of modern Parisian culture, particularly the world of entertainers and the demimonde.
This powerful work exemplifies why Toulouse-Lautrec’s oeuvre is essential to understanding the evolution of the graphic arts at the turn of the century. His intimate scenes and command of the lithographic medium cemented his reputation among the leading Post-Impressionist figures. La fillette nue: Menu is maintained in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it serves as a superb example of French prints and the innovative use of this reproductive medium for profound artistic expression.
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