Study of a Nude 1882

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec made this painting, *Study of a Nude*, using oil on cardboard. These were very unconventional choices at the time; most artists would have painted a nude on canvas, which was considered more archival and appropriate. It looks like Lautrec has thinned the paint, dragging it thinly across the surface. He’s left large expanses of the cardboard bare; its brown tone creates a sense of shadow and depth, so that he doesn't need to actually mix a dark colour. It is clear that he’s not trying to create an illusionistic effect. Lautrec was interested in showing things as they were. The use of cardboard brings the work closer to the world of commercial design, as does his focus on the human figure, so often represented on posters. This piece reminds us that the act of painting, and the act of representation, are also forms of labor. By emphasizing the unconventional materials, Lautrec refuses any traditional distinction between art and life.