The artwork “At La Bastille (Portrait of Jeanne Wenz)” was created by the artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in the year 1889. This piece is painted in oil on canvas, encapsulating the stylistic elements of Post-Impressionism. It falls under the genre of portraiture, highlighting Toulouse-Lautrec’s skill in capturing the essence of his subjects through the medium of paint.
In the artwork, the sitter, Jeanne Wenz, is depicted seated at a table which is presumably situated in the Parisian establishment alluded to in the title, La Bastille. Her body is oriented towards the viewer, with her arms gently resting on the table. She is wearing a dark dress with a white apron over it and a light colored scarf tied around her neck. The facial features are rendered with careful attention, particularly in the way the light and shadow play across her face, bringing forth a sense of depth and character. The background is abstract, painted in loose, expressive brushstrokes that complement the carefully detailed depiction of the sitter.
Toulouse-Lautrec’s use of color and texture in this portrait is characteristic of the Post-Impressionistic movement, moving away from the exacting realism of earlier periods to embrace more subjective interpretations of reality. The artwork conveys a sense of the sitter’s personality, as well as the ambiance of the location, making it a notable example of the artist’s work.
