The artwork entitled “Woman Pulling up Her Stockings” is a creation by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec dating back to 1894. It is an oil painting on canvas which measures 58 x 48 cm and belongs to the Post-Impressionism movement. This nude painting (nu) is currently housed at the Musee Toulouse-Lautrec in Albi, France.
The artwork depicts a candid scene of a woman in the act of pulling up her stockings. This seemingly private moment is rendered with Toulouse-Lautrec’s characteristic brushwork, which imparts a sense of immediacy and intimacy. The color palette appears muted, with an emphasis on earth tones that are punctuated by the flesh tones of the woman’s figure and the contrasting textures of her clothing and stockings. She is shown bent over, focusing on the task at hand, seemingly oblivious to any observers. Another figure is partially visible to the left, casting a glance in her direction, which adds a narrative element to the scene. The use of quick, sketch-like lines and the interplay between light and shadow contribute to the dynamism of the artwork and evoke the artist’s interest in capturing the fleeting moments of everyday life. Toulouse-Lautrec’s portrayal of the human figure here is both personal and unidealized, a hallmark of his approach to the genre.
