Quatorze lithographies originales (Mélodies de Désiré Dihau)

Quatorze lithographies originales (Mélodies de Désiré Dihau) is a significant illustrated book created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, presented as a portfolio comprising fourteen individual lithographs, a duplicate transfer lithograph, and an accompanying songsheet. Although this specific compilation was published in 1935, the majority of the lithographs were originally executed by the artist and the associated songsheet first published by C. Joubert forty years prior, in 1895. The work stands as an important example of French printmaking, bridging the worlds of fine art and commercial illustration during the Belle Époque.

Toulouse-Lautrec excelled in the medium of transfer lithography, using it to capture the vibrant, often atmospheric realities of Parisian street and nightlife. This collection of prints is specifically focused on the compositions of Désiré Dihau, an influential musician and bassoonist of the era whose melodies are referenced in the title. The prints, created in 1895, demonstrate Toulouse-Lautrec’s sophisticated graphic style, characterized by economical contour lines, deep shadows, and dynamic compositions that were revolutionary in illustrating modern life.

Classified as an Illustrated Book, this assemblage exemplifies the close relationship between visual art and the popular music culture dominating late nineteenth-century Paris. The complexity involved in producing fourteen original prints, coupled with the supplementary transfer lithograph, marks it as an ambitious publishing project aimed at a discerning audience interested in both music and graphic arts. The work stands as a crucial document of fin-de-siècle commercial and fine art prints. This renowned portfolio, Quatorze lithographies originales (Mélodies de Désiré Dihau), is held in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York.