Artwork
Folies-Bergere: The Censors of M. Prudhomme (Folies-Bergère: Les pudeurs de M. Prudhomme)
Folies-Bergere: The Censors of M. Prudhomme (Folies-Bergère: Les pudeurs de M. Prudhomme) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. It dates from 1893 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec produced a black lithograph on velin paper in 1893 titled Folies‑Bergère: The Censors of M. Prudhomme. The print captures a group of formally dressed figures gathered in an interior space, their animated discussion suggested by the loose handling of line and tone.
Subject & Meaning
The scene portrays a social gathering, likely linked to the satirical commentary implied by the title’s reference to a censor named M. Prudhomme. By placing the figures in a refined yet lively setting, the work hints at the tension between public propriety and the private revelry of Parisian nightlife.
Technique & Style
Executed in black lithography, the image relies on bold, gestural marks that echo Impressionist concerns with light and movement. The velin paper surface enhances the contrast, while the fluid line work conveys a sense of immediacy, suggesting the figures are on the verge of action.
History & Provenance
Created during the height of Toulouse‑Lautrec’s engagement with the entertainment venues of late‑19th‑century Paris, the print reflects his broader interest in theatrical and social scenes. It remains a representative example of his printmaking output from the early 1890s, a period when he was establishing his reputation as a chronicler of contemporary urban life.
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.
- Dress Rehearsal at the Folies-Bergere (Répétition générale aux Folies-Bergère)
Emilienne d'Alecon and Mariquita of the Follies-Bergère
Le Bar
Aristide Bruant
Baignoire au théatre (Lower Box at the Theater)
"Was der blitz! Das ist ja die gustel von blasewitz" ("What's That! It's Gustel von Blasewitz")
Mademoiselle Bécat at the Cafe des Ambassadeurs (Aux Ambassadeurs: Mlle Bécat)
At the Cafe des Ambassadeurs (Aux Ambassadeurs)
"Einer dirne schön gesicht muss allgemein sein wie's sonnenlicht" ("A Pretty Girl's Face is Like the Sunshine")
Lender from the Back Dancing the Bolero in "Chilperic" (Lender de dos, dansant le boléro dans "Chilpéric")
A la table de jeu (1ère planche) (At the Gambling Table) (first plate)
Dancers in Studio