Literature: Adriani no. 11. 1. state; Delteil no. 345 I; Adhémar nr. 12 I; Adriani no. 11 II; Wittrock no. P6 AB. Provenance: The collection of artist Johan Rohde (1856–1935), Copenhagen. Acquired in Paris in the mid-1890s. Since by descent in the family.

Lautrec’s graphic posters - for performers, like Jane Avril, or dance halls, like the Moulin Rouge - embody the ebullient, frenetic spirit of the nightlife in fin-de-siècle Paris. Avril, a lifelong friend of the artist, commissioned this print to advertise her cabaret show at the Jardin de Paris in 1893. Lautrec’s bold composition is characterized by a radically skewed perspective, severe cropping, flattened forms, and sinuous lines - such as those describing Avril’s frilly costume. The “cancan” kick of Avril’s leg, one of her signature dance moves, finds a formal echo in the vertical thrust of the double-bass, gripped by an unseen musician. To create this print, Lautrec used several lithographic stones, one for each color - inky black, acidic orange, yellow, and green.