Polish Jews, Carlsbad, from Au Pied du Sinaï

Art Historical Context

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec a leading French artist of the late 19th associated with Post-Impressionism created this lithograph in 1897 part of the publication *Au Pied du Sina*. Renowned for his incisive portrayals of contemporary society, Lautrec often turned his attention to everyday figures and gatherings, rendering them with economical yet expressive lines that convey personality and atmosphere. Executed as a lithograph on ivory wove paper, the work exemplifies a printmaking process that allowed artists to draw directly onto a stone or plate, producing richly textured images that could be printed in editions. Toulouse-Lautrec was a master of the medium, employing it for both commercial posters and more intimate illustrations; here the modest image size of 17.5 × 14 cm invites close viewing of his fluid draftsmanship and subtle tonal effects. The scene of Polish Jews in the spa town of Carlsbad reflects the artist’s interest in the diverse social fabric of his time, capturing a moment of cultural encounter with characteristic empathy and observation. Published in 1898, the print remains a compelling example of Lautrec’s ability to elevate ordinary subjects into enduring works of graphic art.

About the Artist

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec · 1864–1901

Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec-Montfa (1864-1901) was a French Post-Impressionist painter, printmaker, and illustrator whose innovative poster designs revolutionized graphic art and advertising in late 19th-century Paris. Born into an aristocratic family at Albi in southern France, Toulouse-Lautrec's privileged lineage traced back to the Counts of Toulouse and extended uninterrupted to th...