Book Cover: ‘Les Courtes Joies: Poésies’”

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (nee Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec-Monfa, 1864 – 1901, France) “Couverture pour ‘Les Courtes Joies: Poésies’” (Cover for ‘Brief Pleasures: Poems’) a book of poetry by Julien Sermet published in 1897. The original lithographic paper designed by Lautrec covered the front of the book and continued around and onto the back cover. Depicted on the original front cover (right side of the sheet) is a woman gutting fish; on the back cover (left side of the sheet) are silhouetted images of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza in landscape on brow of a hill. This posthumous lithograph (without the wording that was on the original book jacket) was printed and published in 1925 by Edmond Frapier in black ink with beige-brown tint stone on china paper in an edition of 625. In the lower left corner is the artist’s circular signature/monogram on the stone. Literary References/Catalogues Raisonnes include Wittrock 236 (Frapier edition 1925); Delteil 216; Adhémar 228; Wick 15. According to Wittrock, 300 to 350 of the impressions were destroyed in World War II. The work of art is matted and framed and shows signs of its age, but the print is in good condition. Dimensions: 7" x 9.75" Frame: 14.75" x 16.75".