Oscar Wilde, program for Rafaël and Salomé from The Beraldi Album of Theatre Programs

The print titled Oscar Wilde, program for Rafaël and Salomé from The Beraldi Album of Theatre Programs by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec is a signature example of fin-de-siècle graphic arts. Created in 1896, this French work is one of fifty lithographs composing the exclusive Beraldi Album, a collection celebrated for its comprehensive documentation of Parisian theatrical and cabaret life. As a specialized print, the work showcases Toulouse-Lautrec’s exceptional mastery of the lithographic medium, allowing him to merge the fluid, expressive quality of drawing with the commercial imperatives of advertising design. This historically significant piece currently resides within the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art.

The program design focuses on the figure of Oscar Wilde, directly referencing his complex and enduring association with the dramatic arts, particularly the production of Rafaël and Salomé. Although Wilde’s personal circumstances were marked by turbulence during 1896, this piece captures the persistent cultural fascination with the controversial playwright and the aesthetic movement he represented. Toulouse-Lautrec was renowned for his perceptive ability to distill the energy and often dark humor of Montmartre and the Parisian stage. His approach frequently elevated theatrical ephemera, materials typically destined to be discarded, to the status of collectible artwork, blurring the lines between high culture and fleeting commercial necessity.

Executed through the detailed lithographic process, the print displays the characteristic economy of line and strong graphic composition favored by the artist during this period. Forming an integral part of a structured album, this 1896 piece represents a crucial moment in the development of modern graphic design and theatrical documentation in French culture. The collection of these high-quality prints allowed collectors to permanently capture the momentary spectacle of the Parisian stage. These seminal works, now often digitized, contribute significantly to the understanding of late nineteenth-century performance culture and are increasingly made available through institutional public domain archives, promoting wider study of Toulouse-Lautrec's substantial legacy.