Pourquoi Pas?..Une Fois n'est pas Coutume. Why Not... Once is not to make a Habit of it. by Henri De Toulouse-Lautrec, 1864-1901

Henri De Toulouse-Lautrec, 1864-1901
Scroll down for information.
Click here to return to the list.

Pourquoi Pas?..Une Fois n'est pas Coutume. Why Not... Once is not to make a Habit of it.

Original lithograph in black ink. 1893. An extremely rare impression both signed in black crayon and numbered by Lautrec. Also with the red monogram stamp. Numbered 8 from
the edition of 100. Also with the monogram in the stone. Printed at Ancourt's studio, 1893. Published by L'Escaramouche, Paris 1893.
Ref: Wittrock - Toulouse Lautrec The complete Prints no 30. Adriani - Lautrec Graphic Works no 45. Delteil 40

Superb impression with strong black inking. On smooth pale cream wove paper. Excellent condition. Full margins. Worked virtually to the full sheet size. Sheet: 15 x 10 7/8ins.(380x278mm)

This item is sold.
Click here to enquire about this item.

Pourquoi Pas? is one of the great masterpieces of Lautrec's drawing in lithography from the first period of his art. This impression is exceptional in being both fully signed and numbered.

At the end of 1893 Lautrec was commissioned to make a series of twelve compositions for the illustrated weekly L'Escaramouche. The works were to be reproduced in the magazine and separate editions of 100 ' collector's impressions' as original lithographs sold at the same time. It was for these epoch-making compositions that Lautrec was to move into his new and mature style of drawing in chalk rather than brush (in 'Pourquoi Pas?' there is just a touch of brushwork). As soon as Lautrec took up the lithographic chalk the full range of his extraordinary genius as a draughtsman was given full scope. The range of tone in the facial expressions, the way that the profile of the foreground woman is given emphasis by contrast against the open paper and the use of stronger denser line than the drawing of the rest of the figure, or of the man, gives structure to the whole image as well as bite to the characterisation. It is drawing of real genius.

Some impressions of this lithograph were printed in black ink and some in olive green. Those in black, as here, have a particularly strong visual impact.