Les Vieilles histoires: Sagesse

Les Vieilles histoires: Sagesse by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec is a key lithograph created in 1893. This piece exemplifies Toulouse-Lautrec’s mastery of the print medium, a crucial element in French fin-de-siècle art, which he utilized to capture both the theatricality and the introspection of Parisian life. Unlike the large, colorful advertising posters for which he is perhaps best known, this black-and-white print suggests a more intimate, narrative scene. The artist utilizes the technical precision of lithography to create a work characterized by heavy line work, dynamic shadow, and concentrated form, emphasizing the characters’ expressive profiles.

Created during the peak of the Belle Époque in France, this work reflects the transitional styles emerging from Impressionism towards modern graphic illustration. Toulouse-Lautrec frequently depicted the hidden narratives and marginalized figures of Montmartre. While much of his output captures the energy of cabarets and dance halls, Les Vieilles histoires: Sagesse presents a quieter study, perhaps an allegorical or moralistic portrayal implied by the title’s reference to wisdom and old stories.

The widespread adoption of the lithograph allowed Toulouse-Lautrec to distribute his art broadly, establishing his reputation not only as a painter but as one of the great printmakers of the 19th century. The medium’s accessibility also ensured that fine art prints like this became essential records of the era’s cultural landscape. This compelling example of Toulouse-Lautrec’s graphic output is held in the permanent collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it continues to serve as an important document of French artistic production during this pivotal historical moment.