Lender Dancing the Bolero in Chilpéric

The influential French artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864-1901) created the captivating print, Lender Dancing the Bolero in Chilpéric, in 1895. This significant example of late 19th-century graphic arts is a color lithograph executed on cream wove paper. Lautrec was a celebrated master of the printmaking process, utilizing the medium to capture the fleeting energy and distinct atmosphere of Parisian nightlife and theatrical productions. The work exemplifies his signature Post-Impressionist style, characterized by bold, expressive outlines, innovative compositional cropping, and flat planes of vibrant color, lending the image a powerful immediacy.

The subject of the piece is Marcelle Lender, a celebrated dancer and actress of the Parisian stage during the Belle Époque era in France. Lautrec often depicted figures from the city’s entertainment venues, meticulously documenting the performers and the audience alike. Here, he captures Lender in full costume, dramatically posed while performing the Bolero from Hervé's popular comic opera, Chilpéric. The striking, illuminated quality of the figure against the indistinct background emphasizes the performer's energy and the focus of the spotlight.

Classified as a pivotal print in the artist's oeuvre, this work confirms Toulouse-Lautrec's reputation as the definitive visual chronicler of fin-de-siècle Paris. The masterful execution of this color lithograph secures its place as a significant contribution to French graphic art of the period. This important piece by the artist currently resides in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. As the original work is now in the public domain, high-quality reproductions and prints of this famed theatrical scene are widely accessible for both study and appreciation.