Two Bulls Wearing a Yoke 1881

Editor: This is "Two Bulls Wearing a Yoke," painted by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec around 1881. It's an oil painting, and I find it unexpectedly pastoral for Lautrec; almost dreamlike, definitely not what I typically associate with him. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: Oh, isn't it intriguing? Lautrec, the chronicler of Parisian nightlife, turning his eye to something so… bovine! It's almost a whisper compared to his usual shout. The soft palette, the blurry edges—it’s as if he’s painting a memory rather than a scene. I wonder, does that yolk connect the two animals in a supportive way or more of a constraint? What does it remind you of? Editor: That's a good point about the yolk, maybe something of a paradox? It feels less critical of societal constraints than, say, Daumier. Perhaps more interested in the way labor, in general, structures existence? Curator: Indeed! He captures a raw truth of labor. It's as honest and straightforward as the animals themselves, nothing glamourized, nothing sugar-coated, or made picturesque. Don’t you think, it's like peeking into a quieter, almost meditative side of the artist? Editor: I do now! It highlights that there is much more to his art than only Parisian scenes and really shows that Lautrec can be unexpectedly reflective. I appreciate seeing this other side of him. Curator: Me too! I find it wonderfully revealing. Like discovering your favorite rockstar also secretly plays the flute—unexpected and delightful.