At the Concert

"At the Concert" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (French, 1864-1901) is a significant zincograph created in 1896, capturing the ephemeral world of Parisian nightlife that defined the artist’s career. A zincograph is a planographic printing technique similar to lithography but utilizing a zinc plate rather than limestone. This specific print was executed on grayish-ivory laid chine, a delicate method involving the adherence of a thin sheet of paper to a heavier backing sheet during the printing process, enhancing the subtlety and precision of the black-and-white tones.

Toulouse-Lautrec was renowned for documenting the social landscape of Belle Époque France, particularly the theaters, concert halls, and cafés-concerts of Montmartre. The subject matter of this print focuses not on a spectacular performance, but on a more intimate, seemingly candid moment within the venue. The composition employs stark contrasts and sharp outlines, characteristic of the artist’s graphic style, capturing figures perhaps mid-conversation or immersed in the performance, often viewed from an unconventional, slightly elevated perspective.

This print exemplifies Toulouse-Lautrec’s mastery of the graphic arts, allowing him to quickly reproduce and circulate images that conveyed the psychological nuances of modern urban existence. The work reflects his broader contribution to the development of commercial and artistic prints toward the end of the 19th century. At the Concert is classified as a print within the Art Institute of Chicago collection, where it serves as a primary source for studying the output of this pioneering French Post-Impressionist master.