Program for the Gémier Benefit

"Program for the Gémier Benefit" is a seminal lithograph created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec French, 1864-1901, dating from 1897. This print, executed in dark gray on gray-brown wove paper, showcases the artist's masterful integration of image and typography, typical of the posters and programs he designed for Parisian nightlife. The specific technique employed-lithograph with text added-illustrates the increasing specialization and sophistication of late nineteenth-century commercial printing.

Lautrec was a central figure documenting the vibrant theatrical and café-concert scene of fin-de-siècle France. Although the program was specifically designed for a benefit performance likely featuring the actor Antoine Gémier, the style is immediately recognizable as characteristic of the graphic design work the artist pioneered. His dynamic compositions and reductive use of color revolutionized commercial posters, successfully transitioning them from simple advertisements into genuine works of art that defined modern graphic culture. The stark, monochromatic palette utilized in the work emphasizes the bold draftsmanship 1864-1901 brought to the rapidly evolving medium of prints.

Classified simply as a print, the piece demonstrates the era's fascination with reproducible graphic arts and the widespread cultural impact afforded by lithography. This medium allowed for the broad dissemination of his designs, influencing both public taste and subsequent generations of artists in France. As a key example of the artist’s commercial output, this influential program print resides in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. As one of the most celebrated printmakers in history, works by Lautrec often enter the public domain, ensuring global accessibility to his groundbreaking vision.