Marie-Louise Marsy, from Treize Lithographies

Marie-Louise Marsy, from Treize Lithographies is a defining print created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec French, 1864-1901, in 1898. Classified as a print, the work was executed using lithography on fine ivory laid paper. This medium was central to Lautrec's practice, allowing him to capture the immediacy and atmosphere of fin-de-siècle France. This impression is part of the larger portfolio, Treize Lithographies (Thirteen Lithographs), demonstrating the artist's dedication to graphic arts towards the end of his career.

Lautrec, known for his incisive portraits of Parisian nightlife, focused frequently on theatrical performers and actors. Marie-Louise Marsy captures its subject with the characteristic expressive line and economy of detail typical of the artist’s style. Marsy, a known figure on the French stage, is rendered not merely as a celebrity, but as an intimate observation, a hallmark of Lautrec’s printmaking. The work is a prime example of how the medium of prints elevated poster art and portraiture during the period, influencing subsequent generations of artists in France and beyond.

The technical execution, utilizing the subtle texture and color of the ivory laid paper, grants the lithograph a warmth and depth often absent in earlier graphic works. Lautrec’s legacy rests heavily on these masterful prints that documented the social fabric of his era. This specific impression is held in the comprehensive collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it serves as a critical document of French art history. Due to its historical classification and date of creation, the work is often accessible for study and reproduction through public domain initiatives worldwide.