Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

Mme de Rodat, France
Dr. Lacroix, France
Mr. Ball, New York
Private Collection, Switzerland

Maurice Joyant, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec I, Paris, 1926, p. 297
M. G. Dortu, Toulouse-Lautrec et son oeuvre, Catalogue des peintures, vol. III, New York, 1971, no. P.663, illustrated p. 405
Giorgio Capronia & G.M. Sugana, L'opera completa di Toulouse-Lautrec, Milan, 1977, no. 531, illustrated p. 121
Bruno Foucart & G.M. Sugana, Tout l'oeuvre de Toulouse-Lautrec, Paris, 1986, no. 623, illustrated pp. 126 & 127
Dorothy Kosinski, Joachim Pissarro & Maryanne Stevens, From Manet to Gauguin: Masterpieces from Swiss Private Collections (exhibition catalogue), Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1995, no. 67, illustrated in color p. 129
Beat Wismer, El Greco bis Mondrian: Bilder aus Einer Schewizer Privatsammlung (exhibition catalogue), Wienand Verlag Koln & Aargauger Kunsthaus Aarau, 1996

This painting is in lovely condition. The canvas is unlined and still stretched on its original stretcher. The paint layer is clean and doesn't appear to be varnished. There are no structural damages and the rapid and brushy technique is in beautiful condition. Under ultraviolet light there is a small group of tiny dots of retouch behind the head of the rider on the left, but other than these there are no retouches of note. The painting should be hung as is. The above condition report has been provided by Simon Parkes of Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc. 502 East 74th St. New York, NY 212-734-3920, simonparkes@msn.com , an independent restorer who is not an employee of Sotheby's.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Deux chevaliers en armure epitomizes Toulouse-Lautrec's fascination with equestrian subjects. Ever since the annual hunting events which he attended with his father at the Château du Bosc, one of the family homes, and following his visit to a circus in 1874, the artist consistently made a number of drawings and paintings on the theme. At a young age, Toulouse-Lautrec was exposed to fashionable animal painters such as Princeteau, Georges Grandjean, Richard Goubie, and Georges Busson, which he saw at the Exposition Universelle in Paris in April 1878. These subjects, dear to the aristocratic life, gave the artist the opportunity to combine academic painting with the innovative coloring of the Impressionists.

The present work embodies a freer interpretation of such traditional subject matter, where the artist employs a dynamic touch and lighter palette to achieve a distant, hazy effect. This captured visual energy is contrasted to the arcane portrayal of the two armored riders, subtly evoking the romantic notion of the medieval knights, embarking on a long journey and about to encounter their heroic destiny.