Musée d'Orsay Corrects Date for Toulouse-Lautrec Painting 'Rousse (La toilette)' to 1889
The Musée d'Orsay has corrected the date of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec's painting "Rousse (La toilette)" from 1896 to 1889, according to a museum release. The oil-on-cardboard work, which depicts a red-haired woman at her toilet, was exhibited under that title at the Exhibition of the XX in Brussels in 1890. The painting shows the influence of Edgar Degas, particularly in its intimate framing and high viewpoint, though Lautrec's treatment is noted for its greater humanity. It is currently displayed in Room 68 of the museum.
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The correction highlights the museum's ongoing scholarly efforts to refine historical records, a process that can reshape understanding of an artist's development and market positioning. For collectors and curators, the revised date places the work earlier in Lautrec's career, linking it more directly to his naturalist phase and his acquaintance with Degas's series from the 1886 Impressionist exhibition. Such transparency reinforces the institution's role as a trusted authority on Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art.
- Artists: Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
- People: Pierre Goujon, Mary Cassatt, Pierre Bonnard, Edgar Degas
- Museums: Musée d'Orsay
- Locations: Paris
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