Woman in Bed, Profile (Femme au lit, profil)

Woman in Bed, Profile (Femme au lit, profil) is a significant color lithograph created in 1896 by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and the master printer Auguste Clot. Executed with technical precision on thin wove paper, this intimate work captures the sensibility of the French graphic arts movement toward the close of the 19th century, a period spanning 1876 to 1900.

Lautrec, a pivotal figure in Post-Impressionism, frequently utilized lithography, rather than painting, to achieve the broad distribution and immediacy required for his observational studies of modern life. This specific piece relies heavily on the technical expertise of Clot in handling the complexities of multi-color printing. The challenging process demanded precise registration to layer the subtle washes and definitive outlines, allowing the artists to capture texture and atmosphere usually reserved for drawings or oils.

Reflecting Lautrec’s deep fascination with the private lives of Parisian women, the composition presents a figure resting, her face turned sharply in profile. The subject is depicted without overt narrative or idealization, embodying the artist’s commitment to quiet, unvarnished observation. The use of the profile view grants the woman a degree of anonymity while emphasizing the soft contours of the bedding and the structure of her head. Such domestic scenes were common among Lautrec's prints, providing viewers with an intimate glimpse into marginalized and often hidden spheres of French society during the fin de siècle.

This print stands as a key example of the artistic and technical maturity achieved in color lithography at the turn of the century. It is preserved in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art, where it serves as a foundational example of Lautrec’s innovative approach to figure studies. The work remains an important piece of cultural history, often cited within studies of public domain prints from this era.