The Sea Swallows, from Mélodies de Désiré Dihau

The Sea Swallows, from Mélodies de Désiré Dihau is a poignant work created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec French, 1864-1901, in 1895. This piece is a lithograph executed on cream wove paper, showcasing the artist’s sophisticated mastery of the print medium that dominated graphic arts in late 19th-century France. The composition was commissioned to accompany the musical score or poetry written by Désiré Dihau, reflecting the symbiotic relationship between fine art and popular entertainment during the Belle Époque.

Toulouse-Lautrec was a pivotal figure in the Post-Impressionist movement, famously documenting the vibrant, and often gritty, realities of Parisian nightlife. While celebrated for his depictions of dancers and café-concerts, this work offers a comparatively quieter, more contemplative mood linked to the lyrical theme of the musical composition it illustrates. The medium of the lithograph allowed Toulouse-Lautrec to capture expressive, fluid lines and subtle tonal variations, effectively translating the emotional depth of the score into a unified visual narrative.

As a crucial example of French graphic arts from 1895, this print, titled The Sea Swallows, demonstrates the potential of reproductive processes beyond commercial poster work. The classification as a print highlights the democratic nature of art dissemination during this period. The work is preserved in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it serves as a significant record of Toulouse-Lautrec’s diverse artistic output and his engagement with literary and musical sources outside of his highly publicized commercial prints.