Small English Girl (Miss Dolly)

Small English Girl (Miss Dolly) is a significant lithograph on cream wove paper created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec French, 1864-1901, in 1899. This late work stems from the final years of Lautrec’s prodigious career as a chronicler of Parisian life, distinguishing itself from his more familiar posters and large-scale cabaret scenes.

Lautrec was a recognized master of the lithographic process, leveraging the greasy crayon to achieve textural complexity and nuance previously difficult in printmaking. In this intimate portrait, the artist captures the specific demeanor of a young subject, identified in the title simply as "Miss Dolly." Although set within the creative culture of France, the subject's description points to a visiting English girl, reflecting the cosmopolitan society Lautrec observed in the capital. The delicate treatment of the girl's features and clothing, rendered through the distinctive marks of the lithography stone, reflects Lautrec's keen interest in individualized portraiture, moving beyond the often-satirical caricatures associated with his earlier Montmartre works.

The composition is characteristic of Lautrec's focused style, utilizing asymmetry and economical line work to center the viewer’s attention on the sitter’s expression. The resulting tension between the formal control of the portrait and the spontaneity of the lithographic technique marks this piece as highly accomplished. As a fine example of graphic arts from the French fin-de-siècle, this print demonstrates the enduring vitality of Lautrec’s draughtsmanship in his final active period. The piece is currently held within the esteemed permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it serves as a key reference for understanding late nineteenth-century European prints.