The Final Outing, from "The Old Tales"
Original title: The Final Outing, "from The Old Tales"
kurzbeschreibung
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec made "The Last Ride" in 1893 as part of his series "The Old Tales." A rider on horseback pauses before a gate. The image is a black lithograph, with yellow stencil coloring added by another hand on mounted wove paper.
Description
A dark figure in a hat and jacket sits on a horse, taking up the foreground. Behind her, a barred gate opens and a building with a row of windows rises. Black dominates; only a yellow circle at the lower edge provides an accent. Light strikes the rider and animal from the front, bringing out the silhouette. The uneven distribution of elements creates a gloomy, mysterious mood.
Context
This print belongs to Toulouse-Lautrec's series "The Old Tales," made in 1893. At the time, the artist was best known for his posters and prints depicting Parisian nightlife. The series instead draws on older narrative material, suggesting an engagement with traditional motifs.
Impact
The harsh contrasts of black and the isolated yellow give the image an insistent, almost emblematic presence. The silhouette and the gate build a narrative tension that invites the viewer to wonder about the underlying story.
Technique
The print was executed as a brush and spatter lithograph, printed in black, with yellow stencil coloring by another hand. Brushstrokes and spatter technique produce the characteristic textures. The paper is wove, mounted; the work exists in only one state.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)