Cover for "Au pied du Sinaï"

The influential artwork, Cover for "Au pied du Sinaï", was created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1898. This highly graphic example of Fin de Siècle design is a color lithograph uniquely enhanced with gold paint. The use of this mixed media technique, combining traditional printmaking with metallic highlights, elevated the work beyond simple commercial illustration and made it a prime example of French poster art during the 1890s.

Toulouse-Lautrec was instrumental in elevating the artistic status of prints and illustrations toward the close of the 19th century. His mastery of the lithographic process allowed him to capture instantaneous movements and character studies with highly expressive and reductive lines, often reflecting the influence of Japanese woodblock prints popular during this era. This piece, created toward the end of the artist's brief life, dates squarely within the late European aesthetic movements spanning 1876 to 1900, a period defined by innovation in printing technology and design.

The design served as the cover illustration for Georges Clemenceau's collection of sketches and stories concerning Jewish life, also titled Au pied du Sinaï. While Toulouse-Lautrec is most renowned for his vivid documentation of the Parisian cabaret scene, this work demonstrates his capacity to apply his distinctive, energetic style to diverse illustrative projects. The specialized application of gold paint adds textural richness, distinguishing it from purely mass-produced prints of the time. This significant work is held by the National Gallery of Art, forming part of its extensive collection of late 19th-century French graphic arts. Due to the historical importance of this type of masterwork, reproductions of the work are often accessible through public domain initiatives.