TOULOUSE-LAUTREC, Henri de
(b. 1864, Albi, d. 1901, Château Malromé, Langon)

At the Circus: Horse and Monkes Dressage

1899
Black chalk, colour crayons and pencil on paper, 435 x 255 mm
Private collection

Early in 1899 Lautrec collapsed on the street and broke his collar-bone, blind drunk yet again. He was taken to the hospital for psychiatric and nervous disorders in Neuilly, and his strength was restored by detoxication treatment. Receiving commissions for a series of circus illustrations, Lautrec produced in his asylum room a series of astonishing works, executed with the utmost precision. He used only coloured pencils and crayons.