Au Bois

"Au Bois" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec French, 1864-1901, created in 1899, serves as a poignant late example of the artist’s celebrated graphic output. Classified as a print, the work is a lithograph expertly rendered on cream wove paper. This medium was fundamental to Lautrec’s innovative practice, allowing him to capture and widely distribute the vibrant, often cynical, spirit of Parisian life during the fin-de-siècle.

The subject matter, reflecting the title "In the Woods," likely references private or public leisure activities prevalent among the performers, demimonde, and fashionable society Lautrec tirelessly documented. His approach is characterized by bold compositions, expressive silhouettes, and a restrained color palette, techniques that established him as a master printmaker of the era. The directness of the lithographic process mirrored Lautrec's own unflinching observation, distinguishing his art from the more idealized styles of his contemporaries.

This work exemplifies the high artistic standards applied to commercial and fine art prints in France at the close of the century. Lautrec’s contribution to the medium elevated the lithograph from a reproductive tool to a standalone form of artistic expression. This important piece is maintained within the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it offers critical insight into the social and artistic history of 19th-century graphic arts. As a celebrated work, the image is frequently reproduced and often found in public domain collections, contributing significantly to the accessibility of art history.