La Passagère du 54

La Passagère du 54 is a significant lithograph created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1896. This print is a quintessential example of the artist’s work documenting the transient, often intimate moments of urban life in fin-de-siècle France. Classified specifically as a lithograph, the medium was instrumental to Toulouse-Lautrec’s career, allowing him to bypass traditional painting methods and produce rapid, widely disseminated images characterized by fluid lines and stark contrasts.

Known for his incisive portraits and his focus on the world of entertainment and public transit in Paris, Toulouse-Lautrec imbued the subject of La Passagère du 54 with a sense of observed anonymity. Although the specific identity or destination of the female figure is unknown, the piece reflects the era's growing focus on modern travel and the psychological distance often maintained between individuals in urban settings. The composition demonstrates the artist’s mastery of the technique, employing simplified masses and strong contours influenced by Japanese woodblock prints, which were highly fashionable among Parisian artists at the time.

As one of the most celebrated Post-Impressionist printmakers, Toulouse-Lautrec’s contributions revolutionized both fine art prints and commercial poster design. His ability to distill personality and atmosphere through economic means is evident in this work. This historic piece of French culture is held in the permanent collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, preserving a key example of the artist's graphic output. Major institutions ensure that these important prints are preserved for study, and high-resolution images of such masterworks are frequently available through public domain resources.