Towards the end of 1892 Toulouse-Lautrec was commissioned to produce decorations for the salon walls of the Rue d'Amboise brothel. He decided to design 16 panels in the style of Louis XV, each one an oval portrait of one of the girls. It was during this time that Toulouse-Lautrec had the opportunity to study brothel lifestyle up close. He was fascinated to discover that many of the women were deeply in love with each other, and he frequently made these couples the subjects of his paintings. He succeeded in portraying the genuine depth of these lesbian relationships without exposing the girls' tenderness and helplessness to voyeurism.
The Kiss
oil on cardboard • 60 x 80 cm
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Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec