The Sofa

The Sofa, painted by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec between 1894 and 1896, is a compelling oil on cardboard work that offers an intimate glimpse into the closed world of Parisian fin de siècle life. This work utilizes Toulouse-Lautrec’s characteristic technique of applying oil paint thinly, allowing the color and texture of the cardboard support to contribute to the final effect, lending the painting a raw, immediate finish akin to a rapid sketch.

The composition features two women, often understood by art historians to be prostitutes from a Montmartre maison close, resting or embracing on a richly textured sofa. The work belongs to a specific, focused series in which Toulouse-Lautrec documented the lives of marginalized working women, focusing not on the theatricality of public performance or solicitation, but on the quiet, domestic moments between them. These depictions of couples and female companionship are remarkable for their lack of moral judgment, capturing the tenderness and exhaustion shared away from the public eye.

Toulouse-Lautrec uses subtle manipulation of light and shadow, combined with his expressive contour lines, to emphasize the intimate connection between the figures and the tactile luxury of the furniture. This approach highlights the dual nature of their existence: public performers and private individuals. The painting is a primary example of the artist’s groundbreaking documentation of turn-of-the-century social strata. It is classified as a significant Impressionist and Post-Impressionist work and resides today in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.