Dupas Deposition (Déposition Dupas)

Dupas Deposition (Déposition Dupas) by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec is a key example of French graphic arts from the late nineteenth century. Created in 1896, this work is a lithograph, a medium that Toulouse-Lautrec mastered and championed throughout his career. Unlike oil painting, the relative ease of production and reproducibility of the lithograph allowed the artist to disseminate his observations of Parisian life widely, fundamentally influencing the development of modern poster art and illustration during the period 1876 to 1900.

The artist's choice of subject, inferred by the title Dupas Deposition, likely relates to the legal, social, or personal dramas of the contemporary urban environment that fascinated the artist. Toulouse-Lautrec was renowned for his observational acuity, portraying the theaters, cabarets, and private moments of performers and high-society figures alike. His characteristic style employs rapid, gestural lines and evocative negative space, capturing the psychological intensity and specific characteristics of his sitters with a sense of immediate intimacy.

This piece exemplifies the artistic energy of the Fin de siècle in France, where artists often documented the marginalized and the glamorous in equal measure, moving away from academic painting traditions toward Modernism. The prevalence of such prints reflects a growing market for accessible art, establishing Toulouse-Lautrec as both a chronicler and a commentator on the era. This significant lithograph resides within the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art, providing an essential resource for studying the transition of art and media at the close of the 19th century. Like many works in institutional holdings, high-quality images of this print are often released into the public domain for research and educational purposes.