Georges Clemenceau and the Optomotrist, Mayer, from Au Pied du Sinaï

Georges Clemenceau and the Optomotrist, Mayer, from Au Pied du Sinaï is a significant lithograph created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (French, 1864-1901) in 1897. This work showcases the artist’s technical mastery of printmaking, executed using lithography on grayish-ivory wove chine. The choice of a thin chine collé paper adhered to a heavier support allowed Lautrec to achieve delicate tonal shifts and rich detail characteristic of his late nineteenth-century prints. The composition originated as part of the published album Au Pied du Sinaï, illustrating a text by Georges Clemenceau, which provided context for the specific figures depicted.

The subject matter captures a candid interaction between Georges Clemenceau, then a renowned journalist and statesman, and the optomotrist, Mayer. Created in France, this piece exemplifies the dynamic cultural environment of the fin-de-siècle period, where graphic arts and satirical illustration played a vital role in public discourse and commentary. Lautrec, known for his ability to capture the unvarnished reality of Parisian life, utilizes sharp observation and minimal line work to convey the distinct personalities of his sitters.

As a masterful example of Belle Époque graphic arts, the lithograph holds enduring artistic and historical value. Lautrec’s prolific output in the medium ensures that many related studies and editions of his prints, including those stemming from the Georges Clemenceau and the Optomotrist, Mayer, remain widely accessible, often entering the public domain. This important print is classified simply as a lithograph and is securely housed in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, serving as a key document of the artist's engagement with contemporary French society.