Affiche Au Bal des EtudiantS 1900

This is an advertisement made by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, likely in the 1890s, using lithography, a printmaking technique that allows for broad areas of color and expressive line work. The process involves drawing on a stone or metal plate with a greasy crayon, then treating the surface so that ink adheres only to the drawn areas. Toulouse-Lautrec masterfully captured the vibrant nightlife of Paris, and posters like this one were critical to his success. They were commercial objects, pure and simple, meant to be pasted up on walls and generate excitement. The immediacy and apparent casualness of the lithographic technique suits his subject matter perfectly. The poster’s flat planes of color and bold, expressive lines create a sense of energy and movement, drawing viewers into the scene. This particular example features some of the demimonde characters associated with the artist. He brings a fine art sensibility to the commercial realm, collapsing the distinction between high and low culture. This democratic impulse is what makes the poster so appealing even today.