At the Concert

"At the Concert" is a significant graphic work created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (French, 1864-1901) in 1896. This piece, classified as a fine art print, utilizes the demanding technique of the color zincograph applied to cream wove paper. Zincography, a medium closely related to lithography, allowed Toulouse-Lautrec to achieve the broad, dynamic fields of color and expressive line work that define his mature graphic style. The technical process enabled the artist to capture the immediacy and spontaneous atmosphere of contemporary French nightlife.

1864-1901 was deeply immersed in the bohemian culture of fin-de-siècle France, meticulously documenting the cabarets, dance halls, and public theaters of Montmartre. While the specific venue or figures depicted in this print remain generalized, the work embodies the artist's characteristic focus on intimate, often unidealized, views of the entertainment world. Unlike the grand narratives favored by academic painters of the period, this composition offers a modern glimpse into the leisure activities of the time, capturing the artificial stage lighting and crowded intensity inherent to the public spaces where the French populace gathered.

As one of the most celebrated graphic artists of the late 19th century, Toulouse-Lautrec fundamentally elevated the status of the fine art print and the commercial poster. This particular impression of At the Concert is held in the extensive collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it serves as a key example of innovative French printmaking and the post-Impressionist movement’s deep engagement with commercial and popular art forms. Art historians often study works like this to understand the artistic experimentation and dissemination of images during this pivotal era in European history.