Jeanne Granier 1896

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec captured Jeanne Granier with rapid strokes of graphite on paper. The composition focuses tightly on the subject, cropping her shoulders and the top of her head. The lines are assertive yet delicate, defining her features with an economy that speaks volumes. Lautrec's approach to form is both analytical and expressive. We see the influence of Japonisme in the flattening of space and emphasis on line. He uses hatching and cross-hatching to suggest volume, yet the figure remains strikingly two-dimensional. This challenges traditional notions of perspective and depth. Lautrec’s modern sensibility is evident in his willingness to destabilize established artistic conventions and explore new ways of seeing. The structural elements of this portrait—the stark lines and the flat, undefined space—reflect a broader cultural shift towards abstraction and a questioning of representation itself. The drawing’s power lies in its ability to convey a mood and moment with a few precisely placed marks, inviting us to find new meaning.