Preliminary Design for the Playbill to Le Chariot de Terre Cuite””

Description

In the playbill study for Le Chariot de Terre Cuite, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec places Félix Fénéon on an ornamental platform with an elephant-shaped base, his arms stretched outward in a dramatic pose. The elevated figure and unusual support give the design a theatrical structure, making the body’s gesture visible through both position and surroundings. The drawing turns a named person into the center of a playbill’s developing image.

Dated 1894, the preliminary design uses blue crayon heightened with white gouache. It prepares the playbill for Le Chariot de Terre Cuite, a theatrical adaptation of a Sanskrit love story, in which Fénéon read the prologue. Toulouse-Lautrec dedicated the drawing to him, connecting its public stage purpose with a personal gift. The work preserves that design before its printed form, allowing gesture, color and an inventive platform to carry the encounter.

Read our guide to giclée prints or browse the Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec collection.