Portrait Bust of Mademoiselle Marcelle Lender

The Portrait Bust of Mademoiselle Marcelle Lender by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec is a highly significant work from the artist's mature period, dating to 1895. Classified as a print, this piece is a sophisticated example of color lithography, executed using crayon, brush, and spatter techniques. Printed in eight distinct colors with additional letterpress text on wove paper, the complex layering and rich textures define the surface quality. This specific impression represents the fourth and final state, created for the influential Pan edition published the same year.

Toulouse-Lautrec was renowned for his insightful portraits of performers and Parisian nightlife figures during the Belle Époque. Marcelle Lender (1862-1929) was a celebrated dancer and actress of the time. The work captures her expressive profile, emphasizing her theatrical presence and the unique vibrancy achieved through the specialized lithographic process. Unlike many of his larger commercial posters, this composition focuses intimately on the subject's face and décolletage, offering an intense psychological study of the sitter rather than merely promoting a performance.

As one of the most celebrated prints of the late 19th century, this depiction of a prominent woman of the stage illustrates Toulouse-Lautrec's mastery of the reproductive medium, transforming what was primarily a commercial printing process into fine art. His innovative use of spatter and varied applications of the brush set a new standard for color lithography. This exceptional impression of the work resides in the extensive collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, where it serves as a cornerstone example of Post-Impressionist graphic art.