Mademoiselle Lender and Baron

Mademoiselle Lender and Baron is a vibrant color lithograph created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec French, 1864-1901, in 1893. Classified as a print, this piece demonstrates Lautrec’s masterful adoption of new techniques in French lithography during the late 19th century. Executed meticulously on cream wove paper, the medium allowed the artist to achieve saturated color fields and expressive, often rapid lines, helping to propel the printing process away from mere commercial reproduction and into the realm of fine art.

Toulouse-Lautrec was fascinated by the dynamic, often fleeting social scene of Montmartre, and the figures depicted in Mademoiselle Lender and Baron reflect his broader interest in the characters inhabiting the Parisian theaters and cafes. The limited, bold palette and strong compositional outlines used in this work reflect the aesthetic influences of Japanese ukiyo-e prints, which were immensely popular among avant-garde artists in France at the time. This stylistic approach allowed Lautrec to capture his subjects, including the celebrated dancer Mademoiselle Lender, with characteristic immediacy and psychological depth, emphasizing gesture and expression over conventional detail.

The work is an important example of fin-de-siècle graphic arts and resides in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. As one of the most significant creators of modern prints, Lautrec's contributions to the field of graphic design remain highly studied. Due to the historical nature and status of the work, high-quality images and reproductions of this pivotal piece of French cultural history are often made available through public domain initiatives, ensuring widespread scholarly and public access.