Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec became one of the leading figures in popularizing color lithographic posters as a form of art. Toulouse Lautrec was also the central artist of the period, around whom some of the most influential exhibitions and publications of the period took place. These artistic productions united the artists who often collaborated on projects.

The Belle Époque or Beautiful Period, as this time is commonly referred to as, and which lasted until the First World War, was due in part to, and reflected in the works of many of the artists in this exhibit, including Lautrec, Jules Chéret, Georges de Feure, Bonnard, Maurice Denis, Louis Legrand, Manuel Robbe, Richard Ranft, Renoir, Cézanne and others.

Paris, at the Fin de Siècle (the turn of the nineteenth century), was alive with colors, lights, elegance and an active café and cabaret life. Great developments were also taking place in the visual arts, especially in the areas of advertising and color lithography. One of the most important influences on Lautrec and his contemporaries was the exposure to the newly imported Japanese Woodblock Prints, which, with their bold colors and well-delineated design elements, originated a style known as Japonism.

Some artists, either alone, like Manuel Robbe or with the help of professional printers, like Renoir and Cézanne in collaboration with August Clot, were further improving the art of color printmaking with new techniques in color etching and lithography. For journals such as Le Courrier français or Le Rire, artists began using a four-color photo process, which involved printing on four relief plates.