Mariage d'argent; Le Fardeau de la liberté; Un Client sérieux [recto]

The work Mariage d'argent; Le Fardeau de la liberté; Un Client sérieux [recto] by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, created in 1897, exemplifies the artist’s mastery of the graphic arts during the fin de siècle period. This piece is classified as a print, specifically a lithograph executed in black ink upon light brown wove paper.

As a preeminent French printmaker working between 1876 and 1900, Toulouse-Lautrec was instrumental in elevating lithography from a reproductive medium to an expressive art form. The immediacy of the technique allowed him to capture the fleeting moments and stark character studies that defined his portrayal of modern Parisian life. The stark, linear quality of the black ink on the light brown paper emphasizes the figures and psychological tension inherent in his subjects.

The complex, multi-part title suggests a sequence of observational studies focusing on various facets of social interaction. Mariage d'argent addresses the transactional and financial underpinnings of marriage during the era, while Le Fardeau de la liberté speaks to the potential isolation or responsibility that accompanies autonomy. Finally, Un Client sérieux likely refers to the transactional nature of relationships observed by Toulouse-Lautrec in the theaters, cabarets, and brothels of Montmartre. Toulouse-Lautrec was renowned for his unvarnished, often satirical, depiction of human drama, stripping away moral judgment to present reality directly.

This significant French print serves as a critical document of late 19th-century societal norms as seen through the skeptical and perceptive eye of the artist. It resides in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C. The wide distribution and accessibility of prints like this ensured Toulouse-Lautrec’s reputation, and today, as the work moves toward the public domain, it remains highly influential for artists and scholars alike.