Debauchery (second plate)

Debauchery (second plate) is a striking color lithograph on cream wove paper created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec French, 1864-1901, in 1896. This work encapsulates the artist's dedication to chronicling the often-unseen facets of fin-de-siècle Paris, France. Lautrec operated primarily as a printmaker during the 1890s, elevating the classification of prints from mere reproduction to a high artistic medium through technical innovation and powerful subject matter.

As a master draftsman and observer, Lautrec typically immersed himself in the intimate settings of Parisian theaters and private establishments, providing an unvarnished depiction of the era’s social currents. The atmosphere in this particular work, suggested by the title, implies a scene related to the unregulated and private lives within the city’s social periphery. The use of the color lithograph technique allowed Lautrec to employ characteristic swift lines, simplified forms, and flat color planes, a style influenced by Japanese woodblock prints and highly impactful in the posters and graphic arts of the period.

This sophisticated handling of the medium demonstrates Toulouse-Lautrec’s profound influence on modern graphic design. The technique made these powerful images widely accessible, contributing to the popularity of the artist’s oeuvre. Today, the work is held in the distinguished collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, representing a pivotal moment in French graphic arts history. Many of the artist’s most influential prints have entered the public domain, ensuring that the visual legacy of Toulouse-Lautrec remains central to the study of modern art.