Les Rois Mages

The print Les Rois Mages by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was executed in 1899, near the end of the artist’s prolific, yet brief, career. Classified specifically as a lithograph, this work exemplifies Toulouse-Lautrec’s sophisticated mastery of the medium, a technique he leveraged extensively for both fine art and commercial posters in turn-of-the-century France. The creation of such prints allowed for the widespread dissemination of his distinctive graphic style, cementing his status as a central figure in the revival of modern graphic art during the 1890s.

Associated primarily with the bohemian culture of Montmartre and the nightlife of France, Toulouse-Lautrec revolutionized how artists utilized the commercial print format. While the artist is celebrated for his depictions of dancers, actresses, and the Parisian demimonde, his choice of the traditionally religious title, Les Rois Mages (The Magi Kings), suggests either a specific commission for an illustration or a characteristic satirical transposition of the ancient story into a modern metropolitan context. Toulouse-Lautrec’s unique aesthetic approach often incorporated the sparse line work and compositional cropping characteristic of Japanese woodblock prints that heavily influenced French artists during this era.

As a highly sought-after print from the fin-de-siècle period, the artistic and historical significance of this lithograph remains profound. The work is preserved in the prestigious permanent collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Due to the significance of Toulouse-Lautrec’s graphics and their eventual inclusion in major institutional holdings, high-quality images of many of his key prints are often made available through public domain initiatives, furthering the study of this essential French Post-Impressionist master's career.