Léonie Yahne in her dressing room, in L'Age Difficile

Léonie Yahne in her dressing room, in L'Age Difficile is a sophisticated print created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1895. This work is classified as a lithograph, executed using a complex combination of crayon and spatter techniques, further refined by the use of a scraper directly on the stone. The piece, printed in a distinctive olive green ink on wove paper, showcases the artist’s advanced mastery of the medium’s physical properties. Toulouse-Lautrec produced this impression as an "only state," indicating the intended finality and rarity of the image.

The subject is the celebrated actress Léonie Yahne, captured in the intimacy of her dressing room while she prepared for her role in the play L'Age Difficile. Toulouse-Lautrec frequently documented the theatrical world of 1890s Paris, moving beyond glamorous stage depictions to offer candid, sensitive portraits of women performers in unguarded moments. The piece emphasizes the subject’s inner concentration rather than her public presentation. This choice to depict the private ritual of preparation contrasts sharply with the public facade of the stage, offering a sense of verité characteristic of the artist's dedication to observing modern urban life.

This exceptional print reflects Toulouse-Lautrec’s unique contribution to the graphic arts. The subtle texture and atmospheric quality of the scene are achieved through careful manipulation of the lithographic stone, particularly the spatter elements. The original impression is held in the renowned collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it serves as a crucial reference point for understanding the artist’s pioneering approach to printmaking. As a historically significant work, high-resolution reproductions of the print are often made available through public domain initiatives facilitated by the collecting institution.