European Art and Old Masters

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec's La Femme qui se Peigne (Coiffure) exemplifies the artist's characteristic exploration of Parisian nightlife and its denizens as part of his landmark series of ten lithographs known as Elles. The work depicts a woman, likely a prostitute given the suggestive nature of her attire, arranging her hair in front of a mirror. Lautrec's use of bold lines and flattened forms imbues the scene with a sense of intimacy verging on voyeurism, characteristic of the artist's forays into the underbelly of Parisian society. The woman's diverted gaze and the restricted space of the composition further contribute to the work's exploration of themes of isolation and vulnerability within Lautrec's demi-monde.