the light

alexandre lunois made his first original color lithographs in 1886, and his continued work in this field helped to elevate the field to a fine art by the end of the century.


his study of japanese art is particularly evident in his use of color, outline, structure, and the flat planes of hue. the shape of clothing and lighting fixtures are an indication as well.

edmond de goncourt, an artist, writer, philo- sopher, critic, and contemporary of lunois said of his work, "a very remarkable print is the lithograph entitled spanish dancers be-
fore the dance. a sheet of the grandest character might pass for a japanese imitation in its intensity of tones, the raw blue at the bottom, the yellow, the pure red, the nocturnal black shadows at the fullness of the figure."






the image with the single woman is the one from the 'seeking the floating world' catalogue, as is the quote. interestingly, it is entitled, l'illumination, the light.