Artwork
The Two Girl Friends
The Two Girl Friends is a gouache painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. It dates from 1898 and is held in the collection of the Foundation E.G. Bührle Collection.
About this work
Overview
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec painted The Two Girl Friends in 1898 with gouache, a fast‑drying, opaque medium. The work measures a modest size and is part of the Kunsthaus Zürich’s collection. It depicts two women seated outdoors, rendered with loose, sketch‑like brushwork that emphasizes immediacy over finish.
Subject & Meaning
The composition shows a pair of women in close proximity: one in a white blouse and red skirt, the other bare‑chested with a smooth, pale complexion. Their attentive posture and the intimate gesture of the hand near the chest suggest a private, possibly romantic interaction, reflecting Toulouse‑Lautrec’s interest in relationships that lay outside conventional norms.
Technique & Style
Executed in gouache, the painting features bold, flat areas of color and rapid, gestural strokes, especially evident in the clothing and the yellow‑toned wall behind them. This approach creates a lively, unfinished quality typical of the artist’s post‑impressionist style, where line and color combine to convey atmosphere rather than detailed realism.
History & Provenance
Created toward the end of the 1890s, the work entered the holdings of the Kunsthaus Zürich, where it remains on display. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s commitment to representing the breadth of Toulouse‑Lautrec’s oeuvre, including his less publicized scenes of everyday intimacy.
Context
Toulouse‑Lautrec, born into French aristocracy in 1864, is best known for chronicling Parisian nightlife and its marginal figures. The Two Girl Friends aligns with his broader focus on the city’s under‑represented social circles, offering a glimpse into the private moments of women who existed beyond the public eye.
Artist & collection
Artist
Comte Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec-Montfa (24 November 1864 – 9 September 1901), known as Toulouse-Lautrec (French: ), was a French painter, printmaker, draughtsman, caricaturist, and illustrator.
