La Goulue

La Goulue is a significant lithograph created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1894. This work is meticulously executed as a single-color print, utilizing olive green ink on fine velin paper. This choice of medium and substrate underscores the artist’s commitment to elevating printmaking from a purely reproductive craft into an independent art form. As a crucial figure in the French artistic transition of the late 19th century, Toulouse-Lautrec specialized in capturing the vibrant, often raw, energy of Parisian nightlife, specifically focusing on the dancers and cabaret performers of Montmartre.

Produced during the creative ferment of the period spanning 1876 to 1900, this piece demonstrates the artist's innovative approach to line and composition. Toulouse-Lautrec used the stark contrasts and abbreviated forms afforded by the lithographic process to distill the essence of his subject, the notorious dancer Louise Weber, famously known as La Goulue. The figure is rendered with the quick, expressive lines characteristic of Toulouse-Lautrec’s mature style. The work reflects the deep engagement of the artist with modern media, where prints served as essential tools for documenting and defining the visual culture of the fin-de-siècle.

The classification of this piece as a print highlights the growing importance of graphic art in disseminating imagery during the late nineteenth century. The graphic simplicity of the design, relying heavily on contour and silhouette, allowed these prints to function both as fine art observations and as popular, accessible imagery that permeated the public domain. This historic lithograph is held in the prestigious collection of the National Gallery of Art, where it serves as a primary example of Toulouse-Lautrec’s influential contribution to modern French art and printmaking history.