Mary Hamilton, from Le Café-Concert

Mary Hamilton, from Le Café-Concert is a pivotal color lithograph created in 1893 by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. This vibrant print, executed on ivory wove paper, exemplifies the technical advances of French color lithography championed during the fin-de-siècle. The medium allowed Toulouse-Lautrec to capture the immediate, fleeting energy of Parisian nightlife and its performers, subjects he relentlessly pursued. The subject, Mary Hamilton, is depicted with the characteristic psychological insight for which Toulouse-Lautrec is famed.

The work was published as part of the influential portfolio L’Estampe originale, a major initiative promoting modern fine art printmaking. The production involved the skilled Parisian firm Edward Ancourt & Cie, whose expertise was critical in realizing the subtle tonal gradations and bold contours that define the artist’s style. The collaborative nature of the printing process was essential to distributing these groundbreaking images across France and abroad. The series Le Café-Concert documented the bustling world of cabaret entertainers and dancers, providing intimate glimpses into figures who often operated outside polite society. This piece remains a crucial example of modern prints from the era, showcasing Toulouse-Lautrec’s distinctive compositional approach influenced by Japanese woodblock aesthetics. Currently held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, this influential work, along with many others of its type, has entered the public domain, allowing broader access to the masterworks of this highly influential artist.