Profiles dans un théâtre

Most probably, dating from the mid-1890s, the present work depicts the profiles of two women in a theatre and was executed during one of Toulouse-Lautrec's trips to London where he often exhibited. On the reverse of the mount is an inscription in pencil, stating that the drawing was first owned by Count Albert de Belleroche, a good friend of the artist and his frequent companion to the theatres and music halls of the city. It was this great interest of the artist's that engendered a preponderance of theatrical subjects among his drawings and lithographs dating from the 1890s.

This exquisite drawing reveals Lautrec's predilection for depicting figures from unusual viewpoints and cutting them at unexpected angles. In this regard his work employs the same devices that Degas was exploring, although while Degas was inspired by his experiments in photography, Lautrec's concerns were more graphic. The depiction of two profiles creates a sense of watching the watchers as they remain transfixed on the spectacle below and reveals Lautrec's ability to capture the human figure.