Les Vieilles Histoires (cover/frontispiece)

Les Vieilles Histoires (cover/frontispiece) is a significant color lithograph on wove paper created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1893. This piece exemplifies the artist’s mastery of the graphic arts during the fertile French period spanning 1876 to 1900. As a prolific printmaker, Toulouse-Lautrec utilized the demanding process of color lithography to capture the dynamic social life and bohemian energy of fin-de-siècle Paris, establishing himself as a key figure in the Post-Impressionist movement.

The work served specifically as the frontispiece for a published collection of narratives or songs, fitting into Toulouse-Lautrec’s frequent role as an illustrator of contemporary literary and musical productions. Unlike his large-scale commercial posters advertising cabarets like the Moulin Rouge, this piece shows a more intimate approach suitable for book illustration. However, it retains the artist's defining characteristics: dynamic composition, bold outlines, and a sophisticated, painterly handling of color facilitated by his use of the crachis (spatter) technique to achieve delicate tonal effects.

The effectiveness of this print lies in its economy of line and its sophisticated use of limited color registration, techniques characteristic of the innovative printmaking that flourished in France in the late 19th century. Toulouse-Lautrec's contributions dramatically elevated the status of the graphic print, moving it from mere commercial advertisement to recognized fine art.

This important illustration resides within the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. Art historians frequently reference this body of work when studying graphic art from the years 1876 to 1900. Because of its age and institutional placement, high-resolution reproductions of this iconic print are often available in the public domain for research and scholarly study, ensuring the continued appreciation of the work.