Program for "La lepreuse" (Programme pour "La lépreuse")

Program for "La lepreuse" (Programme pour "La lépreuse") is a specialized lithograph created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1896. Executed entirely in red ink, this distinctive print served as a program or poster announcing a theatrical or musical production titled La lépreuse (The Leper Woman), a subject consistent with the artist’s interest in the dramatic and often marginalized figures of Parisian life.

Toulouse-Lautrec was a pivotal figure in modern French graphic arts, known for redefining the poster as an art form during the dynamic cultural environment of the late 19th century. This piece, dating from the height of the 1876 to 1900 period, reflects his mastery of lithography, characterized by economical yet expressive lines and a powerful use of negative space. Unlike his full-color advertisements for cabarets like the Moulin Rouge, this work uses the demanding monochromatic restriction of the red medium to emphasize form and mood, perhaps reflecting the stark nature of the production it advertised.

The composition utilizes the distinct visual language that Toulouse-Lautrec developed through his extensive body of prints, influenced significantly by Japanese woodcuts (Japonisme). The deliberate choice of color, classified simply as "red," provides both high contrast and emotional intensity.

The artist’s dedication to documenting the ephemeral events and figures of his society ensures the historical value of this work. Program for "La lepreuse" stands as a key example of the artistic innovations taking place within French culture as the century drew to a close. Today, this impression of the print resides in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C., preserving a vital record of Toulouse-Lautrec’s prolific career and his central role in the history of modern advertising and graphic design.