La Tige, Moulin Rouge

La Tige, Moulin Rouge by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, created in 1894, is a defining example of the artist’s mastery of the print medium. Classified as a crayon lithograph, the image was meticulously printed in black ink on delicate imitation Japan paper, representing the only state of the design. This technique allowed Toulouse-Lautrec to capture the immediate, spontaneous energy of Parisian nightlife while achieving the dense, atmospheric quality associated with his finest drawings. The title, La Tige (The Stem), references the distinctively slender and elegant figures depicted, characteristic of the celebrated dancers and patrons of the era.

The subject matter focuses intimately on the fluid interactions between men and women within the confines of the famous Moulin Rouge cabaret. Toulouse-Lautrec, a keen observer of his environment, offered unsentimental and direct views of the performers and clientele, transforming scenes often overlooked by polite society into powerful artistic statements. The work utilizes a striking contrast of dark, shadowed forms and highly detailed illuminated faces, emphasizing the ephemeral yet intense nature of these late-night social encounters.

As a leading chronicler of the Belle Époque, Toulouse-Lautrec’s pioneering approach elevated commercial graphic arts to the status of fine art. This specific impression is held in the renowned prints collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As a major contribution to 19th-century graphic arts, the enduring legacy of La Tige, Moulin Rouge allows viewers insight into the cultural ferment of fin-de-siècle Paris, making such prints a foundational resource often available through public domain collections.