The Englishman (William Tom Warrener, 1861–1934) at the Moulin Rouge

Lautrec’s friend William Tom Warrener, an English painter, talks with women at the Moulin Rouge. The canvas prepared a colour lithograph published in 1892. Parisian nightlife thus moved from painting into a reproducible printed image.

The moustached man in dark clothing turns towards a woman. Lautrec portrays a recognisable friend in ordinary cabaret conversation.

A tall black top hat crowns the figure. Its simple dark form reads clearly in a composition also intended for print.

The woman on the left appears in profile towards her companion. Opposing faces establish the conversation’s arrangement.

A hand grips a cane across the lap. The accessory belongs to the visitor’s dress and clarifies his seated position.

Pale fabric protrudes from the breast pocket. The small contrast stands out against the dark jacket.

A curved yellow chair back appears at the left edge. Furniture establishes the encounter’s close setting.

Lautrec regularly visited the Moulin Rouge and had a reserved table. Knowing performers and visitors supplied material for paintings and prints that carried Parisian nightlife beyond the cabaret.