The artwork titled “Hangover” by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, created in 1889, is an exemplary piece of the Post-Impressionist movement. Executed using oil and ink on canvas, this genre painting encapsulates the spirit of its era. Currently, it is housed at the Fogg Museum, which is a part of the Harvard Art Museums, located in Cambridge, MA, United States.
The artwork depicts a solitary figure, most likely a woman, seated at a table with her elbow rested upon it and her chin supported by her hand, suggesting a state of contemplation or perhaps exhaustion. Her gaze is directed outward, away from the table, where a bottle and a filled glass stand, elements which might hint at the reason for her current disposition, as suggested by the title “Hangover”. The artist’s use of brisk, visible brushstrokes and a muted yet harmonious color palette conveys a palpable sense of atmosphere and mood, characteristic of Post-Impressionist work, which often focused on personal expression and the use of symbolic content.
