In the Bois de Boulogne (Au Bois)

The influential French Post-Impressionist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec created In the Bois de Boulogne (Au Bois) in 1897. This iconic work is classified as a print, utilizing the specialized technique of lithography, a medium Toulouse-Lautrec mastered and frequently employed to capture the social dynamics of the Belle Époque. As a lithograph, this piece utilizes the immediacy and expressive line quality characteristic of the artist's graphic style, moving away from traditional painting toward a focus on mass-produced art and poster design.

Reflecting the fin-de-siècle culture of Paris, this piece offers a compelling glimpse into the outdoor recreation enjoyed by the French populace. Unlike his famous depictions of the raucous atmosphere of Montmartre cabarets and dance halls, the setting here is the Bois de Boulogne, a major park frequently used for fashionable promenades and carriage rides in 1897. Toulouse-Lautrec often observed and documented the nuances of modern urban life, focusing on characters caught in candid moments of leisure or repose. The print features the strong, simplified outlines and dramatic cropping characteristic of the period's graphic arts movement, reflecting the influence of Japanese woodblock prints and demonstrating Toulouse-Lautrec’s sharp eye for human observation.

This significant work demonstrates Toulouse-Lautrec's unique and vital contribution to the evolution of modern graphic art. His approach cemented the legitimacy of the print medium as a powerful tool for social commentary. The piece currently resides in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), recognizing its importance within the history of late 19th-century prints and modern art movements. Because of its age and profound cultural impact, this French masterwork is sometimes available in high-quality reproductions and has entered the realm of public domain art, furthering the study of Toulouse-Lautrec’s influential depictions of Parisian society.