Le Compliment du jour de L'an/ New Year's Card
 
1897

9 3/4 x 13 3/4 in /
22.9 x 33.0 cm

One of ten known impressions
Printed in black on wove paper
Printed by Ancourt (H. Stern)
Used by the artist as a New Year's card
Six in public collections
EXTREMELY RARE

This New Year's card, printed by Ancourt, Paris, appeared at the end of 1897. Here, we see a small self-portrait of Lautrec seated in the lower left. The text beside him quotes a popular song at the time, loosely translated as "New Year's day/ Is the time / The tender and sincere child/ (Known tune)." The larger scene shows Lautrec's cousin, Gabriel Tapie de Celeyran, offering his compliments of the season to a rather well-endowed young lady. It was also used as a visiting card.

References: Wittrock 238, Adriani 239