May Belfort

The condition of lots can vary widely and the nature of the lots sold means that they are unlikely to be in a perfect condition. Lots are sold in the condition they are in at the time of sale.

In addition to the catalogue description, the full sheet, this work has been conserved, the sheet slightly toned (as can be expected), a horizontal and vertical fold with associated filled in areas, a minor line of surface soiling in the red skirt, a pinpoint discoloration in the artist's initials, minor repaired tears at the sheet edges, a paper repair at the upper left corner, backed to a linen support, otherwise in very good condition, framed

Please note that this lot is framed.

Antony Griffith explains in Toulouse-Lautrec: The Complete Prints, “…it is important to remember that the large commercial posters belong to a quite different tradition of lithography than the limited edition single-sheet print. They were printed on cheap paper in editions of several thousand, and were intended only for a short life. Ideas of purism or integrity did not come into question in their production.”

Unlike the archival quality paper used by modern printmakers, the flimsy paper used by Lautrec and others of the time was closer in nature to that of newsprint, and as such tends to darken over time. It is also prone to cracking and splitting, particularly after having been removed from walls and outdoor advertising spaces (such was Lautrec’s fame that supposedly young boys followed the workmen sticking up posters around Paris, pulling the posters off the walls before the glue was dry, to sell later).

This historical context is important to bear in mind when evaluating the condition of Lautrec’s posters as they have come down to us today. Repaired cracks, splits and other defects are to be expected, as is the standard practice of laying them on linen – essential to preserving the integrity of such large sheets of paper.