This rare original 1894 poster by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, created for the Théâtre de l’Œuvre, serves as both program and artwork for Le Chariot de Terre Cuite (The Little Clay Cart), an ancient Sanskrit drama adapted by Victor Barrucand. Blending performance and print, this lithograph embodies Lautrec’s signature style—expressive linework, sinuous forms, and theatrical composition.
Commissioned as part of the theatre’s avant-garde productions under the direction of Lugné-Poe, the poster captures the fusion of East and West that defined the staging. Lautrec illustrates a stylized elephant—a nod to the play’s Indian setting—alongside a figure sculpted into an architectural frieze, dramatically gesturing as if caught mid-performance. Surrounding them, flowing lines and symbolic flora evoke the Art Nouveau spirit rising in Paris at the time.
Printed on delicate paper with text integrated into the design, this piece also functioned as a theatre program, listing characters and performers, including actress Aurélien Lugné-Poe’s ensemble, deeply linked to Symbolist and Decadent movements of the 1890s.
Today, Le Chariot de Terre Cuite stands as one of the lesser-known yet significant works in Lautrec’s œuvre, representing his ongoing engagement with performance culture beyond the cabaret. A true gem of fin-de-siècle poster art, this original lithograph reflects both the aesthetics and intellectual ferment of late 19th-century Paris.
Original Poster
Cabaret - Show - Theatre - France
Five Acts by Victor Barrucand - Once Upon a Time in India
Good condition
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