Mademoiselle Cha-u-kao, The Seated Clowness (Mademoiselle Cha-u-kao, La Clownesse assise) from Elles by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, created in 1896, is a cornerstone of the artist’s graphic oeuvre. This striking work is a lithograph, forming one of twelve highly intimate prints that comprise the celebrated Elles portfolio. The series marked a significant departure from Toulouse-Lautrec's famous poster art, offering a candid and unvarnished glimpse into the private and domestic lives of women, particularly those connected to the entertainment and nightlife sectors of Montmartre.
The subject of this specific print is Mademoiselle Cha-u-kao, a well-known clownesse (female clown) who performed frequently at the Moulin Rouge and Nouveau Cirque. However, Toulouse-Lautrec captures her not in the dazzling act of performance, but in a moment of repose. She is depicted seated, presumably backstage or in a private room, her posture conveying exhaustion or introspection. The subdued composition and the emphasis on line and shadow over heavy color reflect the artist’s mastery of the lithographic medium, allowing him to achieve both psychological depth and a muted realism rarely found in contemporary French prints.
The Elles portfolio, published in 1896, solidified Toulouse-Lautrec’s reputation as an unflinching chronicler of Parisian life. He spent considerable time observing the milieu he depicted, resulting in artwork that possesses an extraordinary degree of authenticity. This piece of French art exemplifies the aesthetic trends of the 1890s, particularly the interest in capturing fleeting, human moments. The classification of the work as a print emphasizes the artist’s commitment to utilizing reproductive media to disseminate his vision. Today, Mademoiselle Cha-u-kao, The Seated Clowness (Mademoiselle Cha-u-kao, La Clownesse assise) remains a critical document of the period and is preserved in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York.
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