Dog Car 1880

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec painted "Dog Car" using oil on cardboard, though the exact date remains unknown. Toulouse-Lautrec’s position as an aristocrat afforded him access to the leisure activities of the upper class, of which we see an example here. This work depicts a horse-drawn carriage with two figures in dark clothing at the rear and a figure in a white coat standing at the front. The artist’s loose brushstrokes give an ephemeral quality to the scene. There is a sense of movement, with the horse trotting towards us on what appears to be a bright day. The figures are less defined, as though the artist sought to capture a fleeting moment. What might it have been like to travel in this horse-drawn carriage? We might consider the privilege associated with such a form of transport at this time. Toulouse-Lautrec’s artwork prompts us to reflect on social status and experience in 19th century France.