Woman Waking Up in Bed (Femme Couchée, Réveil) from Elles

Woman Waking Up in Bed (Femme Couchée, Réveil) from Elles by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec is a key example of the artist’s mature printmaking career, offering an intimate and unvarnished glimpse into the private life of Parisian women during the fin-de-siècle. Created in 1896, this piece is one of twelve original lithographs that constitute the controversial and influential portfolio Elles.

The series was groundbreaking for its non-judgmental documentation of women living and working in brothels, moving beyond the sensationalism often associated with such subject matter at the time. Toulouse-Lautrec, a master of the lithographic medium, captures the subject in a moment of candid vulnerability, transitioning between sleep and wakefulness. The composition eschews elaborate detail, relying instead on fluid, economic lines characteristic of the artist’s mature style.

The French artist utilized the unique potential of lithography to achieve subtle gradations of tone and shadow, emphasizing the weight and relaxed posture of the figure. This direct, observational approach distinguishes Toulouse-Lautrec’s work from that of his contemporaries, granting the viewer an unprecedented, authentic look into routine private life. The subject is presented with dignity, stripped of the glamour often imposed by contemporary high art.

As a significant example of 1896 printmaking innovation, this piece cemented Toulouse-Lautrec's reputation as a masterful chronicler of Parisian culture and society. The importance of this specific print is recognized globally, and it is housed today in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), standing as a vital document of graphic arts history and the power of prints to disseminate artistic perspective.