TOULOUSE-LAUTREC (de), Henri (1864-1901)

TOULOUSE-LAUTREC (de), Henri (1864-1901)

Original drawings. Ink on paper [Dog and cat]
N.p.n.d [c. 1876-1880], 1 p. in-4° in black ink
On the verso a study in English on Cromwell from an unknown hand
Monogram stamp (Lugt 1338) on lower left corner
Tiny stain on right hand margin, slight missing bits on upper and lower margins, overall browning

Charming studies of animals by young Toulouse-Lautrec

These two freehand studies are to be compared with an important series of drawings that the young Toulouse-Lautrec probably made when he was a student at the Lycée Fontanes (now the Lycée Condorcet) in Paris. A similar sketch from the same period can be found on the work referenced D.448 in M. G. Dortu’s Catalogue raisonné, depicting a dog’s head very similar to the one presented here.
Although it is not possible to identify the writer of the English assignment on the back of the sheet, there is an identical handwriting for an “English Theme” on the back of another work by the artist, referenced this time D.449 in the Catalogue raisonné.

If we look closely at the study of the dog on the right, we notice that the head of the animal is more elaborate than the rest of the body, which has remained in the state of primitive outline. The cat, on the other hand, is sketched in a more accomplished way. The fact remains that the very young Toulouse-Lautrec reveals here a style that is already his own, immediately recognizable.

A certificate of authenticity from the Toulouse-Lautrec Committee issued on November 12, 2024 will be given to the buyer.