Sick Carnot! (Carnot malade!)

Sick Carnot! (Carnot malade!) by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, created in 1893, is a characteristic example of the artist's engagement with contemporary French society and political figures. The piece is classified as a print, specifically utilizing lithography enhanced by the technique of stencil additions, a method often associated with fine art prints and early commercial poster design in the 1890s.

Toulouse-Lautrec frequently employed printmaking techniques to disseminate his unvarnished observations of Parisian life, moving beyond the traditional fine arts establishment. This French work, produced in 1893, offers a sharp, perhaps sardonic, view of the political climate. While the specific subject matter relates to President Sadi Carnot, the approach utilizes the dynamic compositions and flattened color fields typical of Lautrec's graphic design work. The addition of stencil color, a pochoir method applied by hand over the lithograph, heightens the visual impact, giving the work a vibrancy often absent in purely monochromatic prints.

The choice of lithography allowed Lautrec rapid production and visual experimentation. Unlike traditional etching, the smooth surface of the stone permits a fluid, painterly line, which Toulouse-Lautrec mastered throughout his career. His groundbreaking use of the medium redefined the status of artistic prints, bridging the gap between high art and commercial illustration. Although many of Lautrec’s works have entered the public domain, the originals, such as this piece, remain essential records of fin-de-siècle art history.

This significant example of Sick Carnot! (Carnot malade!) currently resides within the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), recognizing its importance in the history of modern graphic art and the period of 1893.