Maxime Dethomas
Medium
oil on cardboard
Dimensions
overall: 67.5 x 50.9 cm (26 9/16 x 20 1/16 in.) framed: 99.1 x 87 cm (39 x 34 1/4 in.)
Classification
Painting
Department
CF
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Chester Dale Collection
Accession Number
1963.10.219
Art Historical Context
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec's *Maxime Dethomas* (1896) is a striking portrait capturing the essence of fin-de-siècle Paris. Painted in oil on cardboard—a medium Lautrec favored for its affordability and portability—this intimate work measures 67.5 x 50.9 cm and depicts fellow artist Maxime Dethomas, a talented illustrator and close friend. Lautrec, a master of Post-Impressionism, often portrayed the bohemian circles of Montmartre, blending sharp observation with psychological depth. The choice of cardboard underscores Lautrec's innovative techniques, allowing for bold, fluid brushstrokes that c...
About the Artist
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec · 1864–1901
Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec-Montfa (1864-1901) was a French Post-Impressionist painter, printmaker, and illustrator whose innovative poster designs revolutionized graphic art and advertising in late 19th-century Paris. Born into an aristocratic family at Albi in southern France, Toulouse-Lautrec's privileged lineage traced back to the Counts of Toulouse and extended uninterrupted to th...