Napoleon

The print titled Napoleon was created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1895. This sophisticated and technically complex work is a lithograph executed using crayon, brush, and spatter techniques, printed in six distinct colors on wove paper. Described as the only state, this piece showcases the artist's inventive approach to the medium of prints during the late 19th century, achieving a vibrancy that often blurred the lines between graphic art and painting.

The subject matter depicts the iconic military figure, Napoleon I, mounted dynamically on a horse. While Toulouse-Lautrec is predominantly known for chronicling the entertainers and denizens of Parisian cabarets and dance halls, this historical interpretation demonstrates his capacity to address traditional themes, often infused with his characteristic graphic style. The vigorous execution of the lithograph captures the sense of movement in the depiction of the rider and the powerful presence of the horses, contrasting sharply with the artist’s typical intimate, often cynical, portraiture of modern life.

This significant print exemplifies the high quality of color lithography produced in France during the fin de siècle. The detailed application of color, achieved through careful registration of the six separate printings, highlights the innovations in printmaking techniques that Lautrec pioneered. This work is classified as a fine art print and is currently held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. As a major work by Toulouse-Lautrec from the 1890s, high-resolution images and prints of this distinctive historical subject are frequently found within the public domain.