Complete set of 22 lithographs on cream laid paper
France, 1893
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Henri-Gabriel Ibels
Signed in ink title page ‘H.G. Ibels / FLautrec / G. Montorgueil’
Each print with the artist’s monogram in the stone
From the edition of 500
Published by L'Estampe Originale (H. Marty), Paris
22 lithographs (11 each by Lautrec and Henri-Gabriel Ibels), title page, justification and text in French
Delteil 28-38; Wittrock 18-28; Adhémar 16-26
The full sheets, loose (as issued)
Sheet dimensions, each: 17 5/8 x 13 1/8 in. (44.6 x 33.3 cm.)
Good condition

Working with Henri-Gabriel Ibels and writer Georges Montorgueil, Toulouse-Lautrec created this portfolio as an ode to the café-concert. The prints, eleven by each artist, capture the personality and performances of some of the most famous entertainers of the period, including the famed Jane Avril and Aristide Bruant. Alonside Montorgueil’s essay, which argued in favor of “tonic for modern life”, the images by Lautrec and Ibels illustrate the Parisian nightlife of the Belle Epoque.

Executed in 1893, “Le Café Concert” was published by L’Estampe Originale. The title page is signed by Lautrec, Ibels and Montorgueil, and each print bears the monogram of its respective artist. From the edition of 500, the complete portfolio includes twenty-two lithographs, title page, justification and text in French. The full sheets are loose, as issued, measuring 17 5/8 x 13 1/8 inches. Various conditions; Pale scattered staining and toning on title page and text and on a few sheets. Otherwise good condition with no evidence of tears or repairs.

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (French, 1864-1901)

Born as Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec-Monfa in France, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec exhibited artistic talent from a young age. His first exhibition was in Toulouse in 1887, and he went on to exhibit in Paris and Brussels with regular participation in the Salon des Indépendants from 1889 to 1894. Influenced by Impressionism and Japanese woodcuts, Toulouse-Lautrec created works depicting the distinctive scenes and figures of the Parisian night life. He soon gained regular commissions for his posters by renowned nightclubs like the Moulin Rouge and was extremely prolific, producing over 6,400 works in total in a span of twenty years. With the largest collection held by the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum, his works have been collected worldwide by institutions including the J. Paul Getty Museum, Hermitage Museum, Kunstmuseum Basel, and Neue Pinakothek.