Cover for "La tribu d'Isodore" (Couverture pour "La tribu d'Isodore")

Cover for "La tribu d'Isodore" (Couverture pour "La tribu d'Isodore") is a significant print created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1897. This classification of the work as a print highlights the artist’s characteristic mastery of the lithographic process. Executed utilizing only two hues, brown and yellow, the cover demonstrates Toulouse-Lautrec's renowned economy of line and his powerful graphic sensibility, designed specifically for commercial and literary publication.

The creation date places this piece squarely within the Belle Époque, defining the visual arts of the late 19th century. During the period of 1876 to 1900, commercial prints gained immense cultural currency, and artists like Toulouse-Lautrec elevated advertising and illustration to high art forms within French culture. Renowned for his posters and illustrative works, Toulouse-Lautrec often used the technical capabilities of color lithography to capture the essence of contemporary Parisian life and its literary circles.

Although functioning as a book jacket, the composition operates as an independent work, typical of the high regard given to graphic design during this era. Toulouse-Lautrec’s design expertise is evident in his ability to maximize impact with limited color, ensuring the final image was both dramatically effective and easily reproducible for distribution.

This artifact showcases Toulouse-Lautrec’s remarkable skill in combining typography and figural image, transforming everyday commercial advertising into a refined example of graphic art. The successful adaptation of his unique style to the medium of lithography demonstrates why his prints remain some of the most influential works from the turn of the century. This important example from the 1876 to 1900 period is currently held within the esteemed prints and drawings collection of the National Gallery of Art.