A Seller’s Guide to Henri De Toulouse Lautrec

Because Toulouse-Lautrec understood both fine art and mass media, his prints bridged what had previously been considered an insurmountable cultural divide, fundamentally altering the trajectory of printmaking. Today, his prints maintain consistent demand in the market, with values reflecting both their artistic significance and their role in advertising history. Individual prints typically achieve between £30,000 and £150,000, with sets of prints edging ever closer to seven-figure sales. The market shows particular strength in France and the United States, where institutional and private collectors maintain active interest.

His print portfolio Elles (1896) has consistently proved to be his most popular collection of prints at auction, partially due to the small size of each print run. The set, featuring prints such as La Clownesse Assise (1896), depicts the women working within one of Paris’ brothels at the turn of the century. In 2017, a full set of 12 Elles prints sold for £991,821 in New York - more than double its low estimate, and a record sale that still stands today. Complete and incomplete sets of the Elles series also hold the second, third and fourth highest print sale values in Toulouse-Lautrec's market. Prints from this set do still fair well when sold separately; for instance, in 2019, La Clownesse Assise (1896) sold for £123,740 on its own, proving the enduring popularity of the images themselves.

Toulouse-Lautrec’s depictions of Parisian women extended to equally candid portraits of gentile, bourgeois, and upper-class women. These portraits, rendered with the same softness as his Elles series, are often some of the most sought-after prints for collectors. La Grande Loge (1897), for example, holds the record for highest-value sale of an individual Toulouse-Lautrec print. An edition sold in 2002 for £385,320.

His posters from the 1890s represent the pinnacle of his innovation. Their bolder colour palettes and occasional textual elements make them quintessential of the era - they are historical artefacts as much as works of art. An edition of Moulin Rouge: La Goulue (c.1891) sold in 2014 for £260,000 in London. At an estimated edition of 3,000 prints, this high price demonstrates the considerable relative value of these posters compared to standard limited editions. The Moulin Rouge was the subject of many of Toulouse-Lautrec’s lithographic posters. L'Anglais Au Moulin Rouge (1892) and La Danse Au Moulin Rouge (1897) are some of the most valuable; the latter selling for £180,000 in 2023. Other popular prints by the artist include Miss Loïe Fuller (1893) and Partie De Campagne (1897), although these prints have yet to break the six-figure threshold.

As one of the 19th century's most frequently reproduced printmakers, Toulouse-Lautrec's work requires careful authentication. Prints should be compared to known records, should be accompanied by verifiable documentation, and stand up to physical scrutiny. The primary reference for authentication is Wolfgang Wittrock's catalogue raisonné of Toulouse-Lautrec’s prints, published across two volumes in 1985, which provides detailed information about every known print, including paper types, printing variations, and original edition sizes. Any documentation of provenance, including certificates of authenticity, gallery receipts, or exhibition history, will also strengthen the authentication process and will be vital at the point of sale.

Toulouse-Lautrec's prints and posters were produced on archival-quality paper, specifically China paper, fine wove paper, and Japan paper. Each type has specific characteristics that must align with the documented preferences for particular editions. The stamps or watermarks from printers such as Auguste Clot, Edward Ancourt, and H. Stern can provide crucial evidence of authenticity, as can stamps or monograms from publishers. The monogram of Gustave Pellet, who published many of Toulouse-Lautrec’s most significant print series, is particularly recognisable.

Edition and Signature

Toulouse-Lautrec's approach to signing and numbering prints varied significantly between his commercial posters and his fine art prints. Commercial posters typically bear a printed signature of “TLautrec” incorporated into the design, while his limited edition prints often feature his signature in pencil in the lower right margin, usually accompanied by his monogram in black or red. Edition sizes varied considerably, with some posters printed in runs of thousands, while certain fine art prints were limited to as few as 25 impressions. Artist's proofs, particularly those with hand-colouring or unique variations, are highly prized by collectors.

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The timing of a Toulouse-Lautrec print sale requires careful consideration of market dynamics and cultural events. Sales data shows consistent strength during major exhibitions focusing on Impressionism or the culture of 19th century Paris. The comprehensive retrospective at the Grand Palais in Paris in 2019-20 sparked renewed international attention, leading to several significant print sales in the following months.

The market for Toulouse-Lautrec's prints tends to peak during themed auctions concentrating on Impressionist and Modern art. These specialised sales attract dedicated collectors who understand the historical significance of his printmaking innovations. Anniversary years relating to key moments in Toulouse-Lautrec's career can create particularly favourable selling conditions, as can high-value sales of original paintings. This relationship between painting and print values was demonstrated clearly in 2015, when three original works sold for over £6million, including a £9.5million sale of his iconic Au Lit: Le Baiser (1892) in London. The impact on the print market was immediate - just a month later La Clownesse Assise (1896) sold for £160,000 in London. This pattern triggered an uptick in impressive print sales results that continued throughout the following few years.

European auction houses, particularly in Paris and London, traditionally achieve the strongest results for mid-range Toulouse-Lautrec prints. The French market maintains special interest in works depicting Parisian entertainment venues, while international buyers often compete for his portraits of celebrated performers. The autumn sales in Paris regularly feature important examples of his work, making September through November an especially active period for the market. Auction houses in New York, however, have experienced a flurry of high-value Toulouse-Lautrec print sales in recent years, owing to the romantic depiction of turn-of-the-century Europe. The current record sale, for example, occurred in New York in 2017.

MyArtBroker offers advanced art tech tools to help you determine the optimal time to sell. Our MyPortfolio service features an AI-powered value indicator that provides real-time valuations of individual prints based on both public and private sales data. Combined with our complimentary valuations, we can help ensure your print achieves maximum value by selling at the perfect moment.

At MyArtBroker, our specialists provide a free market valuation for your artwork, offering a level of transparency unmatched in today’s market. In addition to our valuations, through our online Trading Floor, you can access real-time insights into works by the artist you’re looking to sell, including pieces that are most in demand, wanted, or currently for sale: allowing sellers to trust the valuation that they are provided.

Additionally, the MyPortfolio collection management service grants you free access to our comprehensive print market database. This resource allows you to review auction histories for the specific work you’re looking to sell, including hammer prices, values paid, and seller returns. In a fluctuating market, this historical data is invaluable - and often comes at a cost elsewhere - offering insights into past and current values to further inform decisions based on market timing and conditions. In addition to our specialists guidance, you have concrete data.

Our approach is tailored to align with the unique attributes of each artwork, and offer optimal results:

How a Private Sale Works

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Our revenue is derived from buyer commissions only, which are individually negotiated upon offer, and we aim to give the client the best return in the market place. By focusing on high-value artworks in excess of £10,000, we provide specialised care and expertise, ensuring each piece receives the attention it deserves, while simultaneously maximising returns with our clients. For works that fall below this threshold speak to the team about a recommendation, we offer market advisory free of charge. Our goal at MyArtBroker is to offer a seamless solution, setting us apart in the art market.

Advisory and Recommendations

In cases for artists and artworks, where our existing network of collectors isn’t the best fit due to value, medium or condition we collaborate with reputable partners to facilitate its sale. Carefully tailoring your artwork to the right party. This tailored approach is especially important as it considers the unique attributes of each artwork, providing sellers with the best possible outcome in today’s shifting art market. You can discuss this approach with us without charge as part of our advisory service.

Such recommendations are on a case-by-case basis, and ensures broader exposure and takes advantage of our knowledge of where a work will do best.

In addition to our live trading floor, MyArtBroker's MyPortfolio serves as a collection management system, empowering collectors to curate and oversee their prints and editions collection. This feature grants users access to our print market database, uniquely tied to our proprietary algorithm, SingularityX. This algorithm scans and analyses both public auction and private sales data to determine real time valuations of individual print works, factoring in various aspects such as condition, colour, and other factors affecting value.

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