Divan Japonais
Original title: Divan Japonais
kurzbeschreibung
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec created the poster "Divan Japonais" in 1892–93 as a four-color lithograph on wove paper. It captures a cabaret scene in the Parisian venue of the same name: in the foreground sits a woman with a cigarette, beside her stands a gentleman in a light suit and top hat, and behind them hangs a yellow curtain.
Description
A woman in a dark dress with a massive black headpiece holds a cigarette and gazes to the left. Next to her stands a man in a light suit and top hat, holding a pipe. A yellow curtain, held by a person, forms the backdrop. The figures are stylized and drawn from Parisian nightlife. Along the bottom edge reads "Ed Fournier directeur."
Context
This poster advertised the Parisian cabaret Divan Japonais under the direction of Édouard Fournier. In an era when lithography flourished as poster art and artists like Jules Chéret made it popular, this print also emerged. The woman depicted is the singer Yvette Guilbert, the man the critic and writer Édouard Dujardin — both well-known figures of the Parisian bohemia. It belongs to a series of posters Toulouse-Lautrec designed for entertainment venues in Paris.
Impact
The contrast between the woman's dark silhouette and the man's light suit is immediately striking. The limited colors and flat stylization give the print a modern, graphic punch that draws the viewer straight into the cabaret atmosphere.
Technique
The lithograph was printed in four colors on wove paper, as was customary for posters of the time. Toulouse-Lautrec used lithography to achieve bold areas and contours; with just a few colors he created a powerful effect.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)