Lender in Chilpéric, Full Face

Lender in Chilpéric, Full Face by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec French, 1864-1901 is a striking example of the artist's mastery of fin-de-siècle graphic arts. Executed in 1895, this print is a color lithograph rendered on cream wove paper. Lautrec, known for his incisive portraits of Parisian nightlife, utilized the relatively new medium of color lithography to create vivid, mass-producible images that blurred the line between fine art and commercial posters. The work captures a figure, likely a performer, related to the popular burlesque opera Chilpéric, a production frequently revived in Parisian theaters during the 1890s.

This piece exemplifies the distinct aesthetic of the period in France, where Lautrec chronicled the entertainers, dancers, and patrons of Montmartre. Unlike formal portraiture, the composition, focusing intently on the subject’s full face, uses bold outlines and expressive, often simplified colors typical of his approach to prints. Lautrec often depicted the public spectacle while simultaneously suggesting the underlying isolation or psychological depth of the subjects, a recurring theme in his body of work. The immediacy afforded by the lithographic technique allowed Lautrec to capture fleeting moments and expressions with remarkable efficiency, solidifying his reputation as a key figure in post-Impressionist graphic design. This significant and well-preserved work is housed within the distinguished collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.