“The Beauty and the Beast The Bezique” is an artwork from 1895 by the renowned artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. This piece, rendered in oil on board, is a representative of the Art Nouveau movement, which was prominent at the time. It falls under the genre of sketch and study, illustrating a scene or concept with a sense of immediacy and fluidity. Currently held in a private collection, this artwork reflects the stylistic tendencies and interests of Toulouse-Lautrec in the late 19th century.
The artwork itself presents an intimate moment between two figures who appear deeply engrossed in a game of bezique, a card game popular in the 19th century. The setting is portrayed with loose, expressive brushstrokes, typical of Toulouse-Lautrec’s sketch-like style, capturing the characters in a candid and informal session. The table and the room’s furnishings are suggested with just enough detail to establish the setting, while the background remains largely undefined, allowing the viewer to focus on the interaction between the two figures. There is a contrast in the depiction of the characters, possibly alluding to the “beauty” and the “beast” within the title, a narrative feature that Toulouse-Lautrec was known to explore in his work. Overall, the painting exudes a sense of immediacy and the artist’s characteristic ability to distill the essence of a scene with a few deft strokes.
