At the Concert (Au concert)

Toulouse-Lautrec employed the lithographic process to apply four distinct inks—predominantly bright reds, blacks, pinks, and yellows—in broad, flat areas. Thick contour lines and swift, sketch‑like brushstrokes give the composition a sense of immediacy, reflecting the artist’s interest in rapid, graphic expression typical of late‑19th‑century poster art.

Created during the height of Toulouse-Lautrec’s involvement with Paris’s cabaret and theater scenes, the poster was likely intended for promotional use in the city’s entertainment venues. The work has since entered museum collections and scholarly catalogues as an example of the artist’s commercial output that also serves as a cultural document of the era.

The late 1800s saw a flourishing of graphic design in Paris, with lithography becoming a primary medium for advertising theatrical events. Toulouse-Lautrec, himself a frequent patron of Montmartre’s nightlife, contributed to this visual culture by merging fine‑art techniques with commercial imperatives, thereby shaping the aesthetic of modern poster art.