Cover for L'Estampe originale, Album I, publiée par les Journal des Artistes

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec French
 Printer Edward Ancourt French
 Publisher André Marty French

Not on view

Print albums were a popular means for dealers and publishers to promote the work of artists. These portfolios ranged widely in quality and price and offered collectors a preassembled and expertly chosen selection of contemporary art. Published from 1893 to 1895, L’Estampe Originale was among the most popular examples of the genre, in spite of its short lifespan. Toulouse-Lautrec’s cover for the inaugural edition shows the expert printer Père Cotelle presenting cabaret performer Jane Avril with a newly printed artwork. In this depiction of his two close friends, Toulouse-Lautrec intended to suggest the modernity and stylishness of lithography during the 1890s.

Cover for L'Estampe originale, Album I, publiée par les Journal des Artistes, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (French, Albi 1864–1901 Saint-André-du-Bois), Lithograph printed in six colors on folded wove paper; only state

Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.