Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
On November 24th 1864 in Albi, France Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was born. Born into an aristocratic family, the artist suffered from congenital health conditions attributed to a family history of inbreeding—Toulouse-Lautrec's parents, the Comte and Comtesse, were first cousins (his grandmothers were sisters). Despite his health problems, the artist immersed himself in the colourful and theatrical life of Paris in the late 19th century, which allowed him to produce a collection of enticing, elegant and provocative images of the modern, sometimes decadent, life of those times.
And here we have a drunk Suzanne Valadon sitting at the table. The title of the painting was given by the famous Aristide Bruant, a cabaret owner, singer, and songwriter who exhibited Toulouse-Lautrec’s work in his establishment. Bruant’s songs were often about the condition of the urban poor and the theme of excessive drinking. Suzanne Valadon was a former circus performer who was Toulouse-Lautrec’s mistress for two years. She later also became a painter—two days ago we featured one of her works.
Many of Toulouse-Lautrec’s contemporaries depicted the social phenomenon of alcoholism among women, which was a growing concern in medical circles.
See you tomorrow!