Country Outing (Partie de campagne)

Country Outing (Partie de campagne) is a significant color lithograph on wove paper created in 1897 through the collaboration of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec; Auguste Clot; and Ambroise Vollard. This exquisite print exemplifies the innovative artistic and technical advancements characterizing French art production during the critical period of 1876 to 1900, a time marked by a widespread revival of interest in the graphic arts. Lautrec, celebrated for his dynamic compositions chronicling Parisian life, embraced the lithographic medium to achieve the characteristic broad planes of color and evocative, economical lines seen in this work. His style frequently demonstrates the strong influence of Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints, adapted here for a modern European sensibility.

The creation of the work underscores the vital collaboration inherent in fin-de-siècle prints. While Lautrec provided the artistic design, the technical complexity of the color lithograph required the expert skill of Auguste Clot, a renowned master printer in Paris, who was essential in layering and aligning the various color stones to produce the final, sophisticated image. The piece was published by Ambroise Vollard, the influential dealer who played a pivotal role in elevating original graphic works from commercial posters to highly collectible fine art.

This piece, classified simply as a print, offers viewers a quiet moment of observation outside the hectic city environment. Lautrec’s masterful handling of the medium allowed for wide dissemination, bringing high quality artistic content to a broader audience than traditional oil paintings allowed. This work, currently held in the esteemed collection of the National Gallery of Art, remains a foundational example of late Post-Impressionist graphic art. Due to its age and stature, this impression is recognized as part of the public domain, reinforcing the lasting global impact of this French masterwork.