Cover Design for "Les Vieilles Histoires" (1893, Met-Objekt 815)
Original title: Cover Design for "Les Vieilles Histoires"
kurzbeschreibung
Unlike many related works by Toulouse-Lautrec, this cover design from 1893 relies on an unusual pairing: a man in a suit and top hat leads a large cow on a leash through a landscape with a river and bridge. The print is a lithograph in olive green on wove paper, the first of two states, a proof apart from the edition of about 100.
Description
In the foreground, an elegantly dressed gentleman with a top hat pulls a massive brown-and-white spotted cow behind him. Behind them, a river, a bridge, and the outlines of trees and a city open up. Beige tones dominate the overall key, with olive green and beige providing accents; text elements name the title, author, and publisher. The layout recalls 19th-century art with impressionist touches.
Context
Created in 1893 as the cover for Jean Goudezki's collection 'Les Vieilles Histoires,' the print stems from a friendship between the artist and the writer. Toulouse-Lautrec produced several lithographs for literary works, including this design, which was printed in an edition of about 100. The first state is in olive green, while later impressions were in black.
Impact
The muted colors and the calm, almost ironic scene of the man with the cow evoke a mood both melancholic and humorous. Clear lines and flat areas give the print a poster-like impact that underscores its character as a book cover.
Technique
The lithograph was printed on wove paper. In the first state, printing was in olive green; the later edition in black. Lithography allowed Toulouse-Lautrec fine lines and large areas, which he used for this reduced yet expressive view.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)