Ribot Deposition (Déposition Ribot) 1896

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec sketched 'Ribot Deposition' using pencil on paper in 1896. Toulouse-Lautrec, a member of the French aristocracy, spent his career depicting the marginalized communities of Paris. Here, the artist's gaze is directed towards the courtroom and its inhabitants. Toulouse-Lautrec seems to be investigating the theatre of the courtroom, but also the social dynamics within it. With a few swift lines, Toulouse-Lautrec outlines the figures of judges, lawyers, and guards whose faces are impassive. The man standing, supported by a crutch, his pale face seems to be the focal point of this scene. Toulouse-Lautrec was an outsider due to his physical disabilities and sexuality, and he devoted his artistic practice to depicting people on the fringes of society. This drawing is a window into the artist's perception of legal proceedings, where the power dynamics and social disparities of 19th-century France are on full display.