Mademoiselle Nys

"Mademoiselle Nys," painted by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1899, is a compelling, late-career portrait rendered in oil on unprimed wood. This highly significant choice of support allowed the artist to achieve a deliberately spare and immediate texture, reflective of his profound commitment to graphic art. By applying thin washes of color directly onto the absorbent, raw surface, Toulouse-Lautrec ensured the natural grain of the wood interacted visibly with the paint, lending the work a sense of urgency and stylistic directness characteristic of his final years.

The piece captures Mademoiselle Nys, an unidentified woman, rendered with the empathetic yet detached gaze typical of Toulouse-Lautrec’s private portraiture. While much of his fame rests on his vivid documentation of the theatrical public life of Montmartre, this painting demonstrates his considerable skill in depicting intimate subjects. The work focuses intensely on the sitter’s expression and posture, using swift, economical brushstrokes to define her form and attire against the neutral backdrop provided by the support itself. The handling of the paint and the deliberate rawness amplify the emotional subtlety of the portrait.

Created just one year before the artist’s death, the painting provides a poignant record of his continued formal experimentation with mediums outside of conventional canvas. This small, yet powerful, work currently resides within the esteemed collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Due to its age and cultural significance, high-quality images of Mademoiselle Nys are frequently available in the public domain, allowing students and enthusiasts worldwide to study the technique and stylistic traits of this unique oil piece, often through downloadable prints.