Snobbery

"Snobbery," created in 1897, is a print attributed to the style of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (French, 1864-1901), embodying the sharp social commentary characteristic of his work. This piece is a color lithographic reproduction of a photorelief print, executed on grayish wove chine paper. This complex layering of media reflects the increasing integration of mechanical and artistic reproduction techniques during the late nineteenth century. The use of photorelief and subsequent lithography allowed for efficient mass production and dissemination of graphic art, bringing the visual culture of the Parisian fin de siècle to a wider audience.

The original artwork, from which this reproduction derives, exemplifies Lautrec's fascination with the class divides and often affected manners of high society and the bourgeois elite in France. The title alone suggests a satirical intent, a common thread in the artist’s prints and posters that famously chronicled the world of the Moulin Rouge, theaters, and upper-class leisure. Lautrec’s style is immediately recognizable for its use of strong, dynamic outlines, bold cropping, and simplified color fields, characteristics which retain their graphic impact even within this reproductive medium.

This particular print, dated to 1897, is part of the extensive collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, which houses numerous examples of influential 19th-century French graphic arts. As a significant document of late-century printmaking culture, the work speaks both to the artist's enduring observational power and the period's evolving standards of mechanical replication. Today, prints like Snobbery remain vital resources for studying the cultural history of the era, frequently entering the public domain to ensure broad access to the genius of Lautrec.