La Goulue 1898

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec made this striking poster to advertise the performances of La Goulue at the Moulin Rouge. Look at the silhouette of La Goulue herself, kicking up her leg in the can-can. This symbol of exuberance and liberation echoes ancient bacchanals, where dance was a form of ecstatic release. Now, consider the shadowy figures in the background, with their tall hats. They peer from the darkness like a chorus in a Greek tragedy, their gaze both captivated and concealed. The image evokes a powerful sense of voyeurism, a theme that resonates throughout art history. Consider how the motif of the gaze—the observer and the observed—reappears in countless works, from Renaissance portraits to modern cinema. This poster, then, is a testament to the enduring power of symbols and the ways in which they continue to shape our cultural imagination.