The artwork titled “Alone (Elles)” by artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was created in 1896 in France. The medium used for this piece is oil on cardboard, and it measures 31 cm by 40 cm. It is part of the Art Nouveau (Modern) art movement and is categorized as a sketch and study. Currently, the artwork is housed in the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, France.
The artwork captures a solitary figure, likely a woman, reclining on a bed. The use of quick, expressive brushstrokes conveys a sense of immediacy and intimacy. The color palette is dominated by warm tones, with the rich ochre of the background contrasting the white and blue accents used to detail the bed linens, capturing the soft folds of the fabric. The subject’s posture and the composition of the scene suggest a private moment, reflective in nature. The economy of detail and the fluidity of the lines are characteristic of Toulouse-Lautrec’s ability to distill a scene to its emotional essence, reflecting the innovations of the Art Nouveau movement in its departure from detailed realism toward a more stylized, interpretive approach to image-making.
