Jane Avril

1893

Not on view

Lautrec’s graphic posters—for performers, like Jane Avril, or dance halls, like the Moulin Rouge—embody the ebullient, frenetic spirit of the nightlife in fin-de-siècle Paris. Avril, a lifelong friend of the artist, commissioned this print to advertise her cabaret show at the Jardin de Paris in 1893. Lautrec’s bold composition is characterized by a radically skewed perspective, severe cropping, flattened forms, and sinuous lines—such as those describing Avril’s frilly costume. The “cancan” kick of Avril’s leg, one of her signature dance moves, finds a formal echo in the vertical thrust of the double-bass, gripped by an unseen musician. To create this print, Lautrec used several lithographic stones, one for each color—inky black, acidic orange, yellow, and green.

Artwork Details

Title: Jane Avril
Artist: Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (French, Albi 1864–1901 Saint-André-du-Bois)
Sitter: Jane Avril
Date: 1893
Medium: Lithograph printed in five colors; machine wove paper
Dimensions: Sheet: 50 13/16 x 36 13/16 in. (129.1 x 93.5 cm)
Classifications: Prints, Posters
Credit Line: Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1932
Object Number: 32.88.15
Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

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Au Pied de L'Echaufaud

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

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"Les Vieux Messieurs" (The Old Gentlemen), Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec French, Lithograph on wove paper — "Les Vieux Messieurs" (The Old Gentlemen)
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Madame Réjane, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec French, Lithograph on wove paper — Madame Réjane
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
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