The artwork titled “The Coastal Bus Company” was created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in the year 1888. It is an exemplary piece within the Art Nouveau movement, specifically categorized as a genre painting. The dimensions of the artwork measure 80 by 51 centimeters. Currently, the piece resides in a private collection, emphasizing its unique status and the esteem in which such works by Toulouse-Lautrec are held.
Depicting an everyday scene, the artwork showcases a glimpse of life during the time of Toulouse-Lautrec with particular attention to the bustling urban environment. The composition features the back view of a well-dressed individual wearing a top hat to the left and a man leading a horse in the center, likely a depiction of a bus conductor and a horse used for pulling a bus, respectively. In the background, a horse-drawn bus can be seen, filled with passengers. The setting seems to be a city street, evident through the presence of cobbled stones and what appears to be urban architecture in soft, quick strokes in the backdrop. The use of color is typical of the artist’s work during this period, with an emphasis on earth tones and the occasional highlight, contributing to the vitality of the bustling street scene.
