An extremely rare original color lithograph on wove paper with 3/4" margins at the bottom. Hand signed and numbered by the artist in pencil, "No 17 TLautrec" lower left. Signed on the stone with the artist's monogram, lower left. An impression from the only state, from the edition of 100. Printed by Ancourt, Paris. In very fine condition, framed with museum quality conservation materials.

Sheet size: 24" x 17 3/4"; Framed: 41" x 34 1/2"
Catalogue references: Delteil 358; Adhemar 150; Wittrock 140; Adriani 141.

Toulouse-Lautrec made this poster design for a competition held by the art dealers Boussod, Valadon et Cie. in the summer of 1895 to advertise a biography of Napoléon. Lautrec was encouraged by his long time friend and the director of Boussod and Valadon, Maurice Joyant. The jury for the competition was composed of successful society painters - Detaille, Gérôme and Vibert - along with the Napoléon scholar, Frédéric Masson. Despite Lautrec's attention to detail in the uniforms, his accurate representation of the historical facts and a composition in full sympathy with the elevated image of Napoléon, his design was not deemed worthy of a prize. Of the 21 entries, the design that won was created by Lucien Métivet, a minor illustrator and a former fellow student of Lautrec's. After the competition, Lautrec attempted to sell the design but upon failing to do so the artist decided to print the edition at his own expense.