Woman in Bed, Profile, Getting Up - Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

A candid lithograph from the 1896 Elles series, capturing a quiet, private moment in a Parisian interior with fluid lines and a bold colour palette.

This lithograph belongs to the Elles series, a collection of eleven prints produced by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1896. The series documents the daily lives of women in Parisian brothels, focusing on private, mundane moments rather than the public persona of the courtesan. In this specific composition, the artist captures a quiet interaction between two figures. The use of lithography allows for a soft, painterly quality, particularly in the rendering of the fabric and the textured background.

Toulouse-Lautrec employs a flattened perspective, influenced by Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints. The figures are defined by fluid, calligraphic outlines, while the colour palette remains restrained. The stark white of the nightgowns contrasts with the deep red of the bedspread, creating a visual tension that draws the eye across the frame. The background features a repetitive, rhythmic pattern that suggests a domestic interior without providing excessive detail.

By choosing to depict these women in states of undress or simple routine, the artist avoids the moralising tone common in contemporary depictions of the demi-monde. Instead, he presents a candid observation of human behaviour. The print demonstrates his ability to convey character and mood through minimal gesture and line. The work is a fine example of his technical mastery of the lithographic medium, showing how he manipulated ink and stone to achieve varying degrees of transparency and density. This piece provides an intimate glimpse into the private sphere of late nineteenth-century Paris, stripped of artifice and presented with directness.