Lender from the Back Dancing the Bolero in "Chilperic" (Lender de dos, dansant le boléro dans "Chilpéric")

Lender from the Back Dancing the Bolero in "Chilperic" (Lender de dos, dansant le boléro dans "Chilpéric") is a characteristic example of fin-de-siècle printmaking by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Executed in 1895, this powerful work is a lithograph rendered in olive green, showcasing the artist’s mastery of graphic simplification and immediate observation. This piece falls within the highly productive period of 1876 to 1900, a time when French art was deeply engaged with popular culture and the fleeting, artificial atmosphere of Parisian nightlife.

Toulouse-Lautrec frequently captured performers and figures associated with the stage, effectively elevating printmaking beyond mere illustration toward the status of high art. The subject of this work is Lender, a celebrated dancer, performing the Boléro from Hervé's popular burlesque operetta Chilpéric. By focusing on the figure from the back, Toulouse-Lautrec emphasizes the dramatic flair of the voluminous costume and the dynamic energy of the dance. The cropped perspective and concentrated tonality underscore the theatrical environment.

The artist’s use of the lithograph process allowed for the rapid, fluid line quality necessary to convey motion and atmosphere. As a printmaker, Toulouse-Lautrec was instrumental in popularizing color lithography, making high-quality impressions accessible and influential. This image, which focuses intently on the theatrical moment, exemplifies Toulouse-Lautrec’s role as a detached but highly perceptive chronicler of modern life. Reflecting the vibrant French cultural milieu of the late 19th century, the work is held in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art, where it serves as a key reference for studying the evolution of European prints and graphic aesthetics.