Madame Abdala

Madame Abdala is a significant print created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1893. This piece exemplifies the artist’s mastery of graphic arts during the late nineteenth century. It was executed as a lithograph in black on smooth velin paper, a technique Toulouse-Lautrec frequently employed to capture the immediacy and texture of fin-de-siècle Parisian life. As a key figure in the period spanning 1876 to 1900, the French artist used prints to document the cabaret culture and the private lives of performers and society figures with unparalleled intimacy and speed.

The classification of the work as a Portfolio suggests that it was originally created as part of a curated collection intended for sale or specific distribution among collectors and critics. Although the identity of the sitter in Madame Abdala remains somewhat specialized, the lithograph adheres to the characteristic features of Toulouse-Lautrec’s style: strong outlines, selective detail, and a focus on sharp psychological portraiture. The economic use of black ink demands attention entirely to the figure, reinforcing Toulouse-Lautrec’s reputation as an efficient and perceptive draftsman whose work was deeply influenced by Japanese woodblock prints.

This portfolio print belongs firmly within the tradition of French art at the turn of the century, capturing the visual energy of the era through the medium of the lithograph. The work is held in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art, where it serves as a crucial example of Toulouse-Lautrec’s revolutionary approach to popular imagery and the burgeoning world of commercial art. Its status as a recognized print makes it highly accessible for study within academic and museum contexts. High-resolution images of the artwork are often made available through public domain initiatives by major institutions, ensuring its legacy continues to be broadly understood.