Au Pied du Sinaï

Au Pied du Sinaï by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec is an important 1897 print, executed as a sophisticated lithograph using five distinct colors on vellum. This technical mastery exemplifies the artist’s ability to translate complex tonal values into the graphic medium, standing apart from his more typical focus on the dazzling characters of Parisian nightlife.

The composition is dominated by powerful natural forms, presenting a rugged Landscape defined by sharply delineated Mountains set against an atmosphere infused with intense light. While Toulouse-Lautrec is renowned primarily for his dynamic portraits and theatrical scenes, this rare study showcases his aptitude for evoking mood purely through form and color placement. The technique, characteristic of late 19th-century French prints, utilizes broad planes of hue rather than traditional etching or cross-hatching to define light and shadow, highlighting the dramatic impact of the desert Sun. Lautrec used the printing process not merely for reproduction but as an artistic medium unto itself, exploiting the process to achieve unique visual effects.

The carefully chosen palette of five colors allows for subtle gradations, particularly in rendering the quality of the light cast across the arid terrain. This lithograph, held within the esteemed Prints collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, provides valuable insight into the range of Toulouse-Lautrec's output outside of his famous posters. As a significant example of color lithography from the fin-de-siècle, high-quality images of this influential work are often made available through public domain initiatives, ensuring widespread access to the study of these crucial early prints.