The Box with the Gilded Mask

"The Box with the Gilded Mask" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, created in 1894, is a prime example of the innovative graphic techniques that defined the artist's mature output. Classified as a lithographic print, the work utilizes a complex combination of crayon, brush, and spatter techniques, enhanced by a scraper, and printed in five colors on wove paper. This sophisticated approach allowed Toulouse-Lautrec to capture the intense, fleeting atmosphere of fin-de-siècle Parisian entertainment venues. A key figure in documenting the social strata of Montmartre, Toulouse-Lautrec frequently depicted women in moments of performance or private reflection, often within the structured environment of opera houses, theaters, and café-concerts.

The composition focuses on a woman seated in a theater box—a traditional signifier of both social status and voyeurism in late 19th-century French culture. Her face is partially obscured by the prominent inclusion of a gilded mask placed on the rail of the box, leaning towards the viewer. This device, integrated seamlessly into the structure of the piece, speaks to themes of anonymity and constructed personas prevalent in the artist's oeuvre. The masterful handling of the five-color lithography, particularly the subtle rendering of light and shadow achieved through the spatter technique, emphasizes the intimacy and enclosed nature of the setting. As one of the most celebrated printmakers of the era, Toulouse-Lautrec pushed the boundaries of the medium, creating dramatic effects usually associated with painting.

This exceptional impression, which represents the work's only state, is held in the renowned collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Examples of Toulouse-Lautrec's masterful The Box with the Gilded Mask illustrate his genius for synthesizing drawing and printing methods. The technical precision and focus on modern subject matter make this one of the most important prints of the 1890s. The widespread dissemination of his output ensures that today, many high-quality reproductions of this significant work are available in the public domain, offering broad access to the defining images of the Belle Époque.