No.2 

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
(Albi 1864-1901 Malrose) “Babylone d’Allemagne par Victor Joze”, 1894, coloured lithograph, lettering in dark blue - not by Lautrec, signed in stone, dated 94, monogrammed, printer’s details: (1256) Imp. Chaix. 20, Rue Bergère. Paris (Encres Ch. Lorilleux & Cie), Number of impressions unknown (approx. 1000 - 3000 impressions), 120 x 84.5 cm, framed, restored, Adriani 56 III, Delteil 351 II,(M)

The two coloured sketches Dortu P.532 and P.533, and the pencil sketches Dortu D.3624 and D.3663, served to prepare Lauutrec thoroughly for the drawing on the stone. On 21st December 1893 Lautrec wrote to his mother in Albi, “I think I’ll wait until the end of January before coming to the charming town of Albi. I have a lot to do. Two posters, which need to be delivered before 15th January and haven’t yet been started.” (Goldschmidt-Schimmel, No. 169). It is likely that the artist was referring to the poster for Victor Joze’s book, “Babylone d’Allemagen”, which was registered on 29th January 1894 in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris. Fin de Siècle reported on 18th February 1894 that the hordings were already covered with copies of the poster. It appears that Joze’s interventions came too late - he wrote to the the artist in a letter requesting him to withdraw the poster, as the depiction of a German officer, together with the anti-German content of the publication, would not be tolerated by the Police Prefecture and would probably also lead to a diplomatic scandal. In order to spare the author from difficulties similar to those experienced with the “Reine de Joie” poster (No.5), Lautrec had financed the printing of the poster himself, after which there was obviously no further hinderance to displaying the poster. Götz Adriani, Toulouse Lautrec. The entire graphic works (Gerstenberg collection) Du Mont publishers, Cologne 1986, page 96.

estimate €20.000,- to €26.000,-

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