Mademoiselle Marcelle Lender, Standing

Mademoiselle Marcelle Lender, Standing is a celebrated color lithograph created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec French, 1864-1901, in 1895. Executed as a print on cream wove paper, the work exemplifies Lautrec’s masterful technique in adapting graphic processes to capture the vibrancy of contemporary Parisian life.

The subject, Marcelle Lender, was a popular stage actress and dancer in late 19th-century France, known particularly for her appearances in operettas and comedies. Toulouse-Lautrec frequently documented the celebrities and daily dramas of the Montmartre districts, focusing keenly on their distinct public personalities and lavish, sometimes grotesque, costumes. This particular depiction captures Lender in a highly animated pose, likely emphasizing her dramatic stage presence and the intricate ruffles of her attire.

Lautrec’s sophisticated use of the color lithograph medium was key to the success of his graphic output. Unlike traditional drawing, this technique allowed him to achieve subtle tonal variations and saturated hues, mimicking the dramatic lighting and color palettes found on the Parisian stages. This piece is highly regarded among the artist's prints. Toulouse-Lautrec’s proficiency in creating highly detailed and widely reproducible imagery helped disseminate his vision of bohemian France globally. The success of such works ensured that many impressions were created; high-quality digital reproductions are frequently available in the public domain today.

This iconic impression of Mademoiselle Marcelle Lender, Standing is preserved in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it serves as a crucial document of French printmaking and art history from the fin-de-siècle era.