Brandès and Leloir, in Les Cabotins

The influential post-Impressionist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec French, 1864-1901 created the print Brandès and Leloir, in Les Cabotins in 1894. This striking image, a color lithograph on cream wove paper, showcases the artist’s mastery of the demanding printing process. Lautrec frequently utilized lithography during this period to capture the immediacy and energy of Parisian celebrity culture and entertainment. As a skilled printmaker, he was able to disseminate his work widely, a key component in the burgeoning poster art movement of late 19th-century France.

The subject captures Jeanne Brandès and Léopold Leloir, two notable actors of the period, likely in costume for the play Les Cabotins by Édouard Pailleron. Lautrec specialized in depicting the theatrical and demimonde life of Paris, capturing not just the performance but also the dramatic intensity and often cynical realism of his subjects. The artist’s dedication to documentary observation is evident in his use of sharp outlines and limited, evocative color palettes typical of fin-de-siècle posters and prints. The piece provides valuable insight into the performing arts scene in France during the 1890s.

Lautrec’s distinctive style and innovative approach to composition cemented his place as a pioneer of modern graphic arts. Today, major museums hold significant collections of his output. This essential work remains classified as a print within the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it serves as a primary example of Lautrec’s graphic output. Due to the wide distribution of his lithographic prints, many of his images are now available globally through public domain initiatives, allowing broad access to his documentation of Belle Époque society.