Plate: TL. 15

"The photographer Paul Sescau was one of Lautrec's drinking companions. His reputation among his friends was that of a lady's man, and he was commonly supposed to entice women into his studio for photographic purposes then seduce them.

Here, Sescau's intended model seems to race out of the picture frame, cropped on three sides as she flees his scrutiny. A marvelously nervous creature, dressed for a masked ball in a fluttery domino and mask, perhaps she was posing in her costume until realizing the photographer's amorous intentions behind his camera cloth. Her lorgnette indicates that she has inspected the situation, and the pattern of question marks on her costume suggests her state of confusion and doubt.

This is Lautrec at his best, naughty but wry, economic, and absolutely intrepid in exploiting compositional inconsistencies" (San Diego Museum of Art)

During the 1960s the renowned French printer, Mourlot Freres, printed this superb series "Les Affiches de Toulouse-Lautrec" for collectors. They are reduced lithographic versions of Lautrec's most famous works. They are truly the most beautiful printing we have been able to find in this size format.

As vintage printings of Lautrec's work, in all formats, reach high prices, this mid-century printing offers a superb alternative at a reasonable price that will only appreciate in value.