Your Mouth (from Les Vieilles Histoires)

Your Mouth (from Les Vieilles Histoires) by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, executed in 1893, is an intimate lithograph printed in red ink on wove paper. This specific print is part of the extensive collection of works by the artist held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Known for documenting the private and public lives of fin-de-siècle Paris, Toulouse-Lautrec masterfully employed the versatile medium of the lithograph to circulate his vision, positioning him as a crucial figure in the history of modern prints. While the original impression dates to 1893, this example is cataloged as a posthumous re-edition, produced after 1901, illustrating the continuing interest in reproducing his work long after his death.

The subject matter is characteristic of the artist's empathetic gaze, focusing on women captured in domestic solitude. The composition centers on a figure sleeping deeply in a bed, a moment of unguarded rest away from the public gaze. Toulouse-Lautrec uses minimal lines and the striking monochromatic red to emphasize the form and the emotion rather than detailed surroundings. This work, related to the series Les Vieilles Histoires, showcases the artist's ability to transform simple scenes of sleeping women into poignant human studies. The economy of the drawing and the intensity of the color make this piece a powerful contribution to the depiction of interior life, securing its place among Toulouse-Lautrec’s most referenced prints that are now frequently studied, often available through institutions holding works in the public domain.