Catalogue d'affiches artistiques 1896

Created in 1896 by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, this original lithograph was designed for the Catalogue d’Affiches Artistiques published by A. Arnould, one of the leading Parisian dealers and promoters of artistic posters during the golden age of the Belle Époque. More than a simple advertisement, the work reflects the extraordinary status that the illustrated poster had achieved in late nineteenth-century Paris, when poster collecting became a genuine cultural phenomenon.

The composition depicts an elegant woman reclining languidly in the foreground while a male figure emerges discreetly behind her. Executed with Lautrec’s characteristic economy of line and subtle color harmonies, the image combines spontaneity, elegance, and psychological depth. The artist's fluid drawing and delicate lithographic technique transform what might have been a simple promotional piece into a sophisticated work of art.

By the mid-1890s, Paris had developed an unprecedented enthusiasm for artistic posters. Collectors eagerly sought works by artists such as Jules Chéret, Alphonse Mucha, Théophile Steinlen, and Toulouse-Lautrec himself. Dealers like A. Arnould, whose address appears on the lithograph, published catalogues and portfolios dedicated to this new art form, helping elevate the poster from a commercial medium to a recognized collectible.

Few artists contributed more to this transformation than Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864–1901). Through his celebrated depictions of Parisian nightlife, cafés, theaters, and cabarets, he revolutionized poster design by introducing bold compositions, expressive silhouettes, and a highly personal graphic language. His posters for venues such as the Moulin Rouge became icons of modern art and helped establish lithography as one of the defining artistic mediums of the fin de siècle.

The Catalogue d’Affiches Artistiques lithograph occupies a special place within Lautrec’s oeuvre because it directly celebrates the emerging culture of poster collecting. Rather than advertising a performer, a cabaret, or a commercial product, the image promotes the appreciation of posters themselves as objects worthy of study, admiration, and collection. It thus stands as both a work of art and a document of a crucial moment in the history of graphic design.

Stylistically, the lithograph demonstrates many of the qualities that distinguish Lautrec’s finest works: a masterful use of contour, subtle color printing, asymmetrical composition, and an acute understanding of human character. The elegant yet slightly detached figure exemplifies the artist's ability to convey mood and personality with remarkable economy of means.

Today, original lithographs connected to the artistic poster movement of the 1890s are highly sought after by collectors. They embody the spirit of Belle Époque Paris and document the birth of modern graphic design. As both an original work by Toulouse-Lautrec and a tribute to the poster as an artistic medium, Catalogue d’Affiches Artistiques remains an important and historically significant example of late nineteenth-century French lithography.

Color print

Literature - Advertising

A. Arnould 7 rue Racine Paris

Good condition, minor soiling