Le Suisse, Menu

"Le Suisse, Menu" is a vibrant color lithograph created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864-1901) in 1896. Executed on ivory wove paper, this definitive work exemplifies the artist's mastery of the graphic arts and his role in transforming commercial advertising into high art during the fin-de-siècle period in France.

As a printmaker, Lautrec exploited the unique characteristics of lithography, utilizing broad fields of color and powerful, expressive contours to capture the energetic essence of modern life. This medium allowed for the quick reproduction and dissemination of images, making his work instantly recognizable across Paris. The aesthetic approach, characterized by bold simplification and flattened perspective, reflects the strong influence of Japanese woodblock prints that were highly fashionable among avant-garde artists.

The title, Le Suisse, Menu, suggests the original purpose of this print was likely commercial-decorative, either serving as a design for a menu or possibly an advertisement for a specific establishment or product. Lautrec often treated such commissions with the same formal innovation he applied to his paintings, depicting the everyday figures and institutional characters of Parisian society with keen psychological insight.

This classification as a print underscores the artist's pioneering contribution to the development of modern poster design. Lautrec's prolific output, including many pieces now considered part of the public domain, secures his legacy as a vital figure of the Post-Impressionist era. This impression of the lithograph is held in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.