plate no. 1960
The Milliner
recreation guide
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s *The Milliner* (1900) is a portrait executed in oil on cardboard, a medium choice consistent with his frequent use of portable, lightweight supports for rapid execution and study (Source 7). As a Post-Impressionist, Lautrec’s work is characterized by a departure from strict naturalism toward expressive distortion and graphic linearity, often capturing the bohemian life of Paris (Source 7). The artwork serves as a record of a specific subject, adhering to the genre of portrait painting which aims to achieve a recognizable likeness while expressing the artist’s emotional or observational response (Source 3). The use of cardboard suggests a practical approach to material selection, where the support’s limitations and qualities are embraced rather than concealed (Source 2).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
5 items
steps
5 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints | Primary medium for color application | — |
| Cardboard | Support surface, consistent with Lautrec's practice | Heavyweight illustration board or mounted cardboard |
| Oil of Copavia (or modern linseed/stand oil) | Medium for glazing and binding pigments | Stand oil or walnut oil |
| Black, Ultramarine, White | Primary pigments for monochrome underpainting (grisaille) | — |
| Red and Yellow earth tones/ochres | Glazing and scumbling layers to introduce warmth and flesh tones | — |
preparation
surface prep
The cardboard support should be prepared to accept oil paint. While specific priming instructions for this exact work are not detailed in the sources, Lautrec’s use of cardboard implies a need for a stable ground. Historically, artists might use a thin layer of gesso or oil primer to prevent the cardboard fibers from absorbing too much oil, ensuring the 'vitality possessed by the medium' is not lost to the support (Source 2).
underdrawing
Lautrec was a skilled draughtsman and caricaturist, suggesting a strong initial drawing phase. However, sources note that he often worked rapidly. The underdrawing likely focused on the 'construction' of the figure, ensuring the 'keen sense of construction' necessary for rendering the human form with success (Source 4). Specific details of the underdrawing for *The Milliner* are not provided in the sources, so the artist should rely on general principles of figure construction (Source 4).
underpainting
The process likely involves a monochrome underpainting (grisaille) using black, ultramarine, and white, as described in the practice of oil painting where the first painting is with oil of copavia and these specific colors (Source 1). This step establishes the values and forms before color is introduced.
color palette
Black
Pure black pigment
Underpainting and shadows
Ultramarine
Pure ultramarine pigment
Underpainting and cool shadows
White
Lead white or titanium white
Underpainting and highlights
Red/Yellow Tones
Transparent reds and yellows (e.g., vermilion, ochre)
Glazing and scumbling to add warmth and flesh tones
composition
The composition is a portrait, intending to represent a specific human subject (Source 3). Lautrec’s Post-Impressionist style often involved cropping and dynamic angles, but specific compositional details for *The Milliner* are not described in the sources. The artist should focus on the 'organization of an artwork' using elements like line, shape, and value to create a cohesive whole (Source 5).
step by step
underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the figure on the cardboard, focusing on the construction and proportions of the human form.
Tip — Ensure the underlying structure is sound to support the surface effects of light and shade (Source 4).
Figure construction
underpainting
step 02
Apply a monochrome layer (grisaille) using black, ultramarine, and white mixed with oil of copavia.
Tip — Mentally extract red and yellow colors, translating what would be left in nature if these colors were not present (Source 1).
Grisaille
first pass
step 03
Allow the grisaille to dry completely.
Tip — Do not proceed to glazing until the underpainting is quite dry (Source 1).
Drying
refining
step 04
Glaze and scumble with oil, applying yellow and red tones as they occur in the subject.
Tip — Glazing is a transparent coat of color; scumbling is semi-opaque. Use these to tint the engraving-like underpainting (Source 1).
Glazing and Scumbling
finishing
step 05
Refine the likeness and emotional expression, ensuring the work remains a 'painted symbol' rather than a mere deception of nature.
Tip — Avoid tricking the eye into forgetting it is looking at a painted picture; maintain the vitality of the medium (Source 2).
Expressive realism
critical techniques
Glazing
Applying a transparent coat of color over a dry underpainting to build up tone and depth, similar to tinting an engraving (Source 1).
Scumbling
Applying a semi-opaque layer of paint over a darker ground to create coldness or grey blooms, allowing the underlying painting to show through (Source 1).
Grisaille
Creating a monochrome underpainting using black, ultramarine, and white to establish values before adding color (Source 1).
common pitfalls
- →Attempting to achieve a 'meretricious attempt to deceive the eye' rather than expressing the vitality of the medium (Source 2).
- →Applying glazes before the underpainting is completely dry, which can ruin the monochrome foundation (Source 1).
- →Ignoring the construction of the human figure, leading to a lack of solidity and form (Source 4).
- →Over-mixing colors to the point where they lose their chroma and become muddy, rather than using complementary colors to neutralize (Source 8).
what the sources don't tell us
Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.
- ·Specific visual details of *The Milliner* (e.g., the milliner's pose, clothing, facial expression) are not described in the sources, so the recreation must rely on the artist's own reference or interpretation of Lautrec's style.
- ·The exact ratio of oil to pigment in Lautrec's glazes is not specified, requiring experimentation.
- ·The specific priming method for the cardboard is not detailed, leaving room for variation in surface preparation.
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Underpainting, glazing, and scumbling techniques
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- XX MATERIALS — applied to Material selection and artistic intent
The Human Figure↗
- DRAWING THE HUMAN FIGURE — applied to Figure construction and anatomy
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Portrait painting↗
- Portrait painting — part 1 — applied to Genre definition and likeness goals
Wikipedia bio — Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec↗
- Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec — part 1 — applied to Artist context and medium choice
Wikipedia: Color theory↗
- Color theory — part 6 — applied to Color mixing and neutralization
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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