The Photographer Sescau (Le Photographe Sescau)

The Photographer Sescau (Le Photographe Sescau), created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1894, is a notable example of the artist's mastery of graphic work. This piece is classified as a print, specifically a lithograph meticulously printed using four colors on machine wove paper, showcasing the sophisticated color separation techniques available in late 19th-century Parisian printing studios. As a master of the medium, Toulouse-Lautrec elevated the status of the illustrated print, using lithography not just for commercial purposes but as an expressive art form that defined the aesthetic of fin-de-siècle Paris. The complexity of the four-color process underscores the high level of technical craftsmanship involved in producing this graphic edition.

The subject matter engages directly with the burgeoning commercial world of photography at the end of the century. The Sescau referenced in the title is likely Paul Sescau, a professional photographer frequently associated with the Parisian theater and artistic circles that Toulouse-Lautrec frequented. In this scene, a woman, possibly a model or client, is centrally placed, bringing the role of women in modern portraiture and commercial image-making to the forefront. Toulouse-Lautrec utilized the planar quality inherent in the lithograph to emphasize line and striking color contrasts over deep spatial recession, a technique that would influence subsequent generations of graphic artists. This historical print resides in the esteemed collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it serves as a significant record of graphic innovation and the vibrant intersection of Parisian society and new technologies. Like many important historical prints, the underlying imagery is often made accessible through the public domain.