La Modiste, Mademoiselle Margouin 1900

Editor: This is "La Modiste, Mademoiselle Margouin," a pastel drawing created around 1900 by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. I find the loose, almost fleeting quality of the lines so compelling. What do you make of this portrait? Curator: It’s as if Lautrec is capturing a moment, a breath held for just an instant. The tan paper showing through becomes her environment, the backdrop of her shop perhaps. Notice the tilt of her head – it suggests she’s utterly engrossed in her craft, lost in the world of fabrics and feathers. Editor: I hadn’t really thought about her environment coming through. What about the almost monochromatic palette? Does that emphasize a certain mood? Curator: Definitely. It creates a sense of intimacy, pulling us closer to her world. But look closer. Do you see the whispers of colour – the blues, lavenders, the almost imperceptible touch of rose in her cheek? Lautrec wasn’t afraid to find beauty in the unconventional. Editor: So it's more nuanced than it seems at first glance. It really makes you wonder about her story. Curator: Exactly! What's going through her mind, as she contemplates this bit of silk or that trim? Ultimately, I think it's a reminder that the ordinary can hold extraordinary depths. Don’t you agree? Editor: Absolutely. I initially saw only the impressionistic strokes but now I’m also captivated by her story.