Woman in Bed, Profile, Awakening (Femme au lit, profil, Au petit lever) from Elles

Woman in Bed, Profile, Awakening (Femme au lit, profil, Au petit lever) from Elles is a significant print created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1896. This striking piece is one of twelve lithographs composing the iconic Elles portfolio, through which the artist explored the private lives of Parisian women, often those working in the city’s maisons closes, without the imposition of judgment or melodrama. As a key figure in Post-Impressionist French art, Toulouse-Lautrec mastered the complex technique of color lithography, lending the print a distinct textural quality and immediacy characteristic of his finest works on paper.

The subject focuses intimately on a woman observed in the delicate moment of awakening. Rendered in profile, the figure is captured under the simple covers of a bed, her body language conveying the vulnerability and stillness of the early morning transition from sleep. Toulouse-Lautrec utilizes a restrained color palette and bold, defining contours, focusing the viewer’s attention on the subject's posture and psychological state rather than elaborate surroundings. This empathetic and unvarnished observational approach solidified his reputation as a unique chronicler of fin-de-siècle Paris.

Classified as a fine art print, Woman in Bed, Profile, Awakening exemplifies the height of late 19th-century French printmaking. The Elles portfolio was critically important for establishing the legitimacy of the lithograph as a major art form capable of handling serious social commentary. This essential work resides in the Museum of Modern Art's esteemed collection, serving as a vital reference point for studying the artist’s distinctive oeuvre and the broader social history embedded in the art of 1896. As a piece produced outside traditional painting methods, this work demonstrates the artist's commitment to creating accessible, high-quality prints, many of which now fall within the public domain.