Elles (poster for 1896 exhibition at La Plume) 1896

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec created this poster in 1896 as an advertisement for an exhibition of his prints at the Parisian gallery, La Plume. The show, titled “Elles,” focused on images of women, particularly those working as prostitutes. The poster uses a soft palette and depicts a woman adjusting her hair, her face obscured, lending an air of intimacy. The title, "Elles," is a simple yet direct assertion of female presence. This was a time when the visibility and representation of women in public life were subjects of intense debate. Lautrec's focus on the lives of marginalized women challenged the conservative norms of the period, and the choice of La Plume gallery, known for its avant-garde leanings, suggests a deliberate critique of conventional artistic institutions. To understand this artwork, one might delve into the history of Parisian nightlife, the social status of women, and the emergence of printmaking as a democratic art form. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.