Au Pied de l'Échafaud - Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (c.1893)

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec's 1893 lithograph poster Au Pied de l'Échafaud was created to advertise the serialized memoirs of Abbé Faure, a prison chaplain, published in the French newspaper Le Matin. The image depicts a condemned prisoner being led to the guillotine, flanked by a priest and executioner, with silhouetted onlookers in the background. The stark composition and bold typography convey the gravity of capital punishment and public spectacle in late 19th-century France.

This work marks a departure from Lautrec’s more commercial subjects, engaging instead with themes of justice, mortality, and the role of the press. It exemplifies the use of poster art as a medium for literary and social commentary during the fin-de-siècle period, and highlights Lautrec’s command of lithographic technique in service of mass communication.

Product features

- EUTR-compliant woodstock, ensuring sustainable sourcing
- Printed with REACH-certified inks for safety
- Crafted from gallery-grade 220 gsm fine art paper
- Smooth matte finish for a sophisticated appearance

Care instructions
- If the poster does gather any dust, you may wipe it off gently with a clean, dry cloth.