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Carmen Gaudin by Toulouse-Lautrec, Henri de

Toulouse-Lautrec, Henri de · 1885

This is "Carmen Gaudin," painted by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1885, an oil on wood portrait held in a private collection. Carmen Gaudin was a model and dancer in 19th-century Paris, frequently depicted by Lautrec.

Here, she is captured in a contemplative pose, her gaze averted, suggesting an intimate moment away from the public eye. Lautrec's characteristic brushwork, particularly in her vivid auburn hair and luminous pale skin, brings her to life.

Toulouse-Lautrec, born into French aristocracy, became known for his candid portrayals of Parisian nightlife, often focusing on figures from its social margins. While this portrait reflects a quieter side of his work, another of his paintings, "La Blanchisseuse," an early work of a young laundress, sold for a record-breaking US$22.4 million at Christie's in 2005.

Lautrec's ability to capture the human condition, whether in a bustling cabaret or a quiet moment, continues to fascinate. What do you see in Carmen's expression?

Details

She was a model and dancer in 1880s Paris.
She was a model and dancer in 1880s Paris.
Lautrec painted her many times, often in quiet moments.
Lautrec painted her many times, often in quiet moments.
She never looks at the viewer, preserving her inner world.
She never looks at the viewer, preserving her inner world.
That price set a new auction record for the artist.
That price set a new auction record for the artist.
The jacket is barely described , a flat, near-uniform dark that reads as pure silhouette, giving the painting an almost Japanese two-dimensional quality beneath the impressionist surface.
The jacket is barely described , a flat, near-uniform dark that reads as pure silhouette, giving the painting an almost Japanese two-dimensional quality beneath the impressionist surface.
Transcript

This is Carmen Gaudin, painted by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. She was a model and dancer in 1880s Paris. Lautrec painted her many times, often in quiet moments. She never looks at the viewer, preserving her inner world. A different Lautrec painting sold for 22.4 million dollars. That price set a new auction record for the artist.