Polin

The influential French Post-Impressionist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec created Polin in 1896. This specific impression is rendered as a lithograph in black ink upon a cream-colored paper support. Produced during the height of the artist's active engagement with Parisian café-concert culture and bohemian life, the print exemplifies the cutting-edge aesthetic prevalent during the late 19th century period (1876 to 1900). Toulouse-Lautrec was instrumental in elevating printmaking from commercial advertisement to a refined art form, utilizing the expressive potential of the stone to capture the fleeting moments and compelling personalities of Montmartre.

As one of the most significant creators of modern graphic art, Toulouse-Lautrec excelled in the medium of lithography, favoring its directness and speed. Even in this monochromatic format, the artist demonstrates his mastery of economical line and dynamic composition. The subject, likely the celebrated music-hall singer Polin, is depicted with the characteristic psychological insight that marks the master’s work. Toulouse-Lautrec often centered his artistic focus on performers and dancers, providing raw, unvarnished portraits that contrasted sharply with the idealized academic painting prevalent during this era. The decision to publish the work as a print allowed for the broad dissemination of his unique viewpoint among the public.

The proliferation of such French prints toward the close of the 19th century defined the visual culture of the era. Toulouse-Lautrec’s influential contributions solidified the lithograph’s role in modern artistic expression and documentation of Parisian life. The classification of the work as a print demonstrates the rapid changes in artistic emphasis during the 1876 to 1900 timeframe, where reproduction techniques offered new avenues for expression. The availability of high-quality images of this work through public domain initiatives ensures its accessibility for study and appreciation worldwide. This important impression of Polin is held today within the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art.