A unique, collectible lithographic poster published in 1964 by the renowned Parisian lithographic studio Ateliers Mourlot for the prestigious exhibition “Gravures Rares de Grands Maîtres” (Rare Engravings by Great Masters) at the renowned Galerie “65” on the famous Boulevard La Croisette in Cannes;
Framed in a frame measuring 82 x 56 cm;
Signed on the plate in the lower right corner of the composition (the artist’s distinctive HTL monogram enclosed in a circle and his signature are visible); below the composition on the right-hand side is the printed inscription: “La Grande Loge” by TOULOUSE-LAUTREC.
Publisher: Imprimerie Mourlot, Paris (1964)
References:
Original catalog number: Delteil 204 / Wittrock 202
Posters published by Ateliers Mourlot in the 1950s and 1960s are highly prized items on the global antique market. Fernand Mourlot—the legendary Parisian master of lithography—collaborated with the greatest artists of the era (including Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Joan Miró, and Henri Matisse).
The scene depicts patrons of a Parisian theater or variety show—in the box on the right, figures characteristic of Lautrec’s work are visible. The woman depicted in a light-colored dress and hat is likely a famous dancer or a figure from Parisian bohemian circles (often identified as Lucie Bellanger or Marthe Mellot). In the background, the silhouette of a man in a top hat emerges (often recognized as Mr. Tom, a regular at the theater).
This is a classic example of a French art poster from the mid-20th century, combining the 19th-century style of Toulouse-Lautrec with the masterful craftsmanship of the postwar Mourlot workshop, representing the golden age of European art and poster design.
The “65” Gallery was located at number 65 on the prestigious Promenade de la Croisette in Cannes. In the 1950s and 1960s, during a period of rapid growth for the French Riviera and the Cannes Film Festival, this gallery was one of the most important gathering places for the artistic elite, collectors, and celebrities. Among the most famous artists who created works for this gallery (including those who designed special posters for Fernand Mourlot) and its regular guests were: Pablo Picasso —who lived nearby (in Mougins and Vallauris). He created original lithographic posters dedicated to exhibitions at Galerie 65 (including the famous 1956 poster featuring an owl), Marc Chagall, Joan Miró, Georges Braque, and Fernand Léger —masters of modernism who frequently stayed in the south of France during the postwar years and exhibited their prints at Galerie 65, Bernard Buffet —a highly regarded French Expressionist painter who designed posters specifically for this gallery.
