Les Vieilles Histoires (cover/frontispiece)

Les Vieilles Histoires (cover/frontispiece) is a significant work created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1893. This piece, classified as a fine art print, is an impressive example of the artist’s technical skill: a lithograph proof executed on wove paper and subsequently touched with watercolor. This technique demonstrates Toulouse-Lautrec’s characteristic willingness to blend the reproducible nature of graphic art with unique, hand-applied color elements, elevating the medium beyond commercial reproduction.

As a leading figure in the French art scene of the late 19th century (covering the period of 1876 to 1900), Toulouse-Lautrec specialized in documenting the vibrant, often turbulent, life of Paris. This specific image served as the cover or frontispiece for a published literary collection, reflecting the high demand for illustrated prints during the Belle Époque. His style, defined by sharp observation, expressive line work, and compositions influenced by Japanese woodblock prints (Japonisme), captured the energy and psychology of his subjects without sentimentalism.

Toulouse-Lautrec’s profound mastery of the lithographic process was pivotal to his career, enabling him to disseminate his influential imagery widely. The unique application of watercolor on this proof distinguishes it from the standard edition, providing crucial evidence of the artist’s intentions regarding color saturation and overall effect. Today, many of his dynamic prints are held in major institutional collections worldwide, often falling into the public domain, allowing for extensive study of this crucial era in French culture. This important 1893 work by Toulouse-Lautrec is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.