Au lit

Only half at home in the aristocracy and tormented throughout his life by painful physical ailments, Toulouse-Lautrec found a place of belonging in the ‘demi-monde’ (English: half-world), as the red-light milieu in France was sometimes called. He spent a lot of time, also on commissions, in brothels in Montmartre, where he observed and portrayed everyday life – or perhaps more appropriately, nightlife. During that time, he created just over 100 paintings. 'Au lit' is from this series. The painting is usually interpreted as a depiction of two women. Here Toulouse-Lautrec captured a moment of innocent intimacy without turning obscene or explicit: The two women lie facing each other in bed, a reddish glow, perhaps candlelight or morning light, illuminating their faces. Without touching, the two express loving affection and tenderness beyond sexual desire. Source