Le Chariot de Terre Cuite
Original title: Le Chariot de Terre Cuite
kurzbeschreibung
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec created the lithograph "Le Chariot de Terre Cuite" in 1895, showing a stylized elephant pulling a cart. Printed on vellum, it measures just 7.9 x 11.0 cm. The title combines French and Sanskrit lettering.
Description
On the left an orange elephant, on the right a cart with blue and black ornaments — an asymmetrical arrangement. A dark blue background makes the figures stand out. Bold, high-contrast colors and clear, shadowless lines define the image. At the bottom are publisher details from Albert Savine Editeur.
Context
The print was made in 1895 for a publication likely connected to Indian culture or literature, as the Sanskrit title suggests. The Paris publisher Albert Savine was known for literary and exotic subjects. The small format points to a book illustration or title page.
Impact
The flat, graphic style and strong color contrasts grab the viewer directly and feel decorative. The stylized elephant gives the image an exotic, almost ornamental aura.
Technique
This is a lithograph on vellum, a fine parchment substitute. The technique allows flat areas of color and crisp outlines, as seen here. For the bold tones, the colors were probably applied in several printing passes.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)