The Hairdresser (La coiffure), program for Bankruptcy (Une Faillite) and The Poet and the Financier (Le Poète et le Financier) at the Théâtre Libre

The Hairdresser (La coiffure), program for Bankruptcy (Une Faillite) and The Poet and the Financier (Le Poète et le Financier) at the Théâtre Libre is a significant lithograph created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1893. This piece functioned as a promotional program for a dramatic double-bill held at the avant-garde Théâtre Libre in Paris. Utilizing the dynamic and often simplified forms inherent to the lithographic technique, the French artist masterfully captured the energy of fin-de-siècle Parisian nightlife and commercial art.

The composition relates specifically to the internal subject matter of one of the plays, La coiffure (The Hairdresser), depicting an intimate, observed moment often characteristic of the artist's style. Toulouse-Lautrec was renowned for his ability to translate these private scenes into powerful graphic statements. His prints, characterized by bold lines, expressive color, and flattened perspective, bridge the gap between high art and commercial design, establishing him as a central figure in modern graphic arts. The Théâtre Libre, known for staging naturalistic and sometimes controversial new works, demanded advertising that matched its progressive spirit; this program provided a striking visual advertisement for the evening's performances.

Classified specifically as a print, the work demonstrates Toulouse-Lautrec’s consistent output of commercial yet artistic programs and posters throughout the 1890s. As a crucial example of Parisian graphic design from the period, this lithograph resides within the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). The sheer volume of posters and prints produced by Toulouse-Lautrec around 1893 has made many of his works essential examples of European art history. The accessibility of such historical prints, many now residing in the public domain, continues to reinforce the artist's enduring influence on subsequent generations of graphic artists and illustrators globally.