Artwork
Ballade de Noël
Ballade de Noël is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. It dates from 1895 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Henri de Toulouse‑Lautrec produced the lithograph Ballade de Noël in 1895. Executed in black ink on velin paper, the work belongs to his series of prints that document Parisian street and theatrical life during the late nineteenth century.
Subject & Meaning
The image depicts a woman in a low‑cut dress, clutching a lantern as she walks. Her loose hair and downward gaze suggest a moment of private contemplation amid a bustling urban setting, while the indistinct architecture behind her hints at a nocturnal cityscape.
Technique & Style
Created through lithography, the piece relies on rapid, sketch‑like lines that convey motion and atmosphere. The use of a single black hue on textured velin paper emphasizes contrast and allows the artist’s gestural marks to define form without detailed modeling.
History & Provenance
Toulouse‑Lautrec, born into French aristocracy, turned to printmaking after a childhood injury limited his physical growth. By the mid‑1890s he was actively producing lithographs that captured the vibrancy of Parisian nightlife, with Ballade de Noël reflecting this period of his career.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Comte Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec-Montfa (24 November 1864 – 9 September 1901), known as Toulouse-Lautrec (French: ), was a French painter, printmaker, draughtsman, caricaturist, and illustrator.
