Les Vieilles histoires: Ta Bouche

The influential Post-Impressionist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec created Les Vieilles histoires: Ta Bouche in 1893. This piece is a masterful lithograph, exemplifying the artist's dedication to the print medium, which he utilized extensively throughout his career to democratize and circulate his imagery. Produced during the vibrant period of Belle Époque Paris, the work captures the spirit of French musical and social life at the end of the 19th century, a time when Toulouse-Lautrec frequently chronicled the performers and atmosphere of cabarets and theaters.

This specific lithograph is part of a larger suite of ten illustrations titled Les Vieilles Histoires, created to accompany popular songs of the era. Toulouse-Lautrec’s characteristic style employs sharp, expressive lines and often stark, simplified forms, drawing influence from Japanese woodblock prints while maintaining a distinctly modern, graphic sensibility. He focused primarily on intimate, unidealized portraits of performers, writers, and figures from the Parisian nightlife. The immediacy and dramatic contrast achieved through his handling of the lithographic crayon were perfectly suited for depicting the fleeting moments of urban existence in France. By publishing these images as accessible prints, he moved his artistic output closer to the public domain.

The resulting image, which likely illustrates a specific lyric or mood from the songbook, stands as a key example of the artist’s mature output. Today, this significant piece of French graphic art resides in the permanent collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, preserving a vital record of Toulouse-Lautrec’s pioneering contributions to modern printmaking and visual communication.