Who painted On the Stage (Sur la scène)?

On the Stage (Sur la scène) was painted by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1898.

Where can I see On the Stage (Sur la scène)?

On the Stage (Sur la scène) is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is On the Stage (Sur la scène)?

On the Stage (Sur la scène) is associated with Impressionism.

Can I buy a print of On the Stage (Sur la scène)?

Museum-quality prints of On the Stage (Sur la scène) are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

On the Stage (Sur la scène)

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec , 1898

On the Stage (Sur la scène) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. It dates from 1898 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec produced the lithograph On the Stage (Sur la scène) in 1898. Executed in black and beige, the print captures a fleeting moment on a theater platform, featuring two performers in contrasting poses amid a dimly suggested backdrop.

Subject & Meaning

The composition presents a duo of stage figures: a rigidly positioned individual on the left clutching a small object, and a more dynamic counterpart on the right leaning forward with outstretched arms, as if caught mid‑gesture. The faint silhouettes of additional figures and a curtain hint at a broader theatrical setting, emphasizing the interplay between performance and audience.

Technique & Style

Created through lithography, the work relies on quick, loose line work that conveys motion and vitality. Details are intentionally minimal; faces and bodies are rendered with just enough suggestion to evoke presence, reflecting Lautrec’s characteristic emphasis on atmosphere over precise rendering.

History & Provenance

Lautrec, born into French aristocracy in 1864, became renowned for chronicling Parisian nightlife, especially cabarets and dance halls. Despite lifelong physical disabilities stemming from childhood leg injuries, he produced a prolific body of work documenting the marginal cultural venues of late‑19th‑century Paris, of which this lithograph is a representative example.

Yahne and Mayer in "L'age difficile" (Yahne et Mayer dans "L'age difficile"), Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

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Artist & collection

Artist

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

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.