Entrée de Cha-u-Kao, from Le Rire, No. 67, 15 February 1896

Entrée de Cha-u-Kao, from Le Rire, No. 67, 15 February 1896 by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec is a masterful example of the artist’s contribution to the lithograph print medium. Created in 1896, this work was published in the popular Parisian illustrated journal, Le Rire, demonstrating Toulouse-Lautrec’s essential engagement with commercial illustration and mass media circulation towards the close of the 19th century. The print captures the celebrated dancer and clown Cha-u-Kao, one of the many demimonde figures the artist frequently immortalized in his graphic work.

The composition captures a dynamic moment, likely backstage or during a circus-themed review, indicated by the presence of both women and men attendants, alongside the requisite horses. Toulouse-Lautrec focuses intensely on the central figure, the dancer Cha-u-Kao, isolating her exaggerated costume and demeanor against the shadowy backdrop of the cabaret. Unlike his famous large-scale posters, this piece offers an intimate, rapid sketch intended for easy reproduction.

His signature style, characterized by flattened forms and economical line work, perfectly encapsulates the decadent yet fleeting energy of the Parisian entertainment scene, where performers like Cha-u-Kao held significant public fascination. Classified specifically as a print, the work demonstrates the artist's ability to imbue journalistic illustration with high artistic merit. This important piece of French cultural history resides in the permanent collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.