Reine de Joie 1892

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec created this small lithograph, *Reine de Joie*, as a poster for Victor Joze’s novel of the same name. Lautrec, working in fin-de-siècle Paris, found himself drawn to the demimonde, those existences lived on the fringes of bourgeois society. He was interested in performers, prostitutes, and other figures who challenged conventional morality. Here, we see a woman, presumably a prostitute or courtesan, embracing an older, wealthier man, with another man looking on. It’s a tableau of desire, commerce, and perhaps a hint of social critique. Lautrec developed an innovative style, influenced by Japanese prints and Impressionism. His bold lines and flat planes of color capture the energy of the Parisian nightlife. But beyond the visual appeal, Lautrec's work prompts us to consider the complex dynamics of gender, class, and power that shaped the Parisian society he depicted. It is a society where pleasure and exploitation often went hand in hand, leaving us to wonder about the emotional lives of those involved.