La Tige (Moulin-Rouge)

The influential work, La Tige (Moulin-Rouge), was created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1894. Classified as a Print, this evocative piece captures the spirit of Parisian nightlife during the late nineteenth century. The title refers directly to the world of the Moulin-Rouge, the celebrated cabaret in Montmartre that served as Toulouse-Lautrec’s primary artistic theater.

Toulouse-Lautrec, renowned for his penetrating observations of the entertainment world, frequently documented the dancers, clientele, and workers of Paris’s bustling cabarets. His immersion in Parisian nightlife fueled a body of work that defined the visual culture of the French Fin-de-siècle. His chosen medium of lithography allowed him broad access to the commercial art world and the rapid production of fine art prints, establishing him as a crucial figure bridging high art and graphic design in the period of 1876 to 1900.

This piece, executed in 1894, demonstrates the artist's characteristic economy of line and focus on capturing the psychological essence of his subjects rather than idealized representations. The directness achieved through the lithographic process was essential to his signature style, allowing rapid execution and a graphic sensibility that aligned with the emerging mass media. This specific impression is realized as a lithograph in black on velin paper, showcasing the technical mastery Toulouse-Lautrec brought to the production of high-quality fine art prints. The choice of simple black ink enhances the dramatic contrast and atmosphere, fitting the subject matter drawn from the shaded confines of the cabaret world.

Acquired by the National Gallery of Art, this work stands as an essential example of modern French printmaking. Today, images of this historically valuable artwork are frequently made available to the general public through collections that designate reproductions of specific prints as falling within the public domain, ensuring wide accessibility for study and appreciation.