Woman at the Mirror—Mirror in Hand, plate six from Elles is a seminal color lithograph created in 1896 by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. This influential print was published by Gustave Pellet and likely printed by Auguste Clot, forming part of the artist's ambitious and intimate Elles portfolio, a series dedicated to documenting the private lives of women in Parisian brothels.
The color lithograph medium, rendered on ivory wove paper, allowed Toulouse-Lautrec to achieve subtle, atmospheric tonal shifts, moving beyond the bold lines typically associated with his poster work. The composition captures a woman in a moment of solitary contemplation, holding a small hand mirror. Unlike many contemporaries who sensationalized the subject, the artist portrays the figure with an empathetic realism, focusing on the vulnerability and daily routine rather than sensationalism.
This piece exemplifies Toulouse-Lautrec's role as a sharp chronicler of fin-de-siècle France. The entire Elles series stands as one of the most significant printmaking achievements of the 1890s, defining the artist's observational style and mastery of graphic media. As a result of the print’s age and historical importance, many of these influential works are now accessible through public domain collections worldwide. This specific impression is housed within the distinguished holdings of the Art Institute of Chicago.
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