The Clown: M. Joret

Toulous-Lautrec drew caricatures throughout his career, beginning with the albums filled with small drawings that he made as a teenager. As he sat in Parisian clubs and cafes years later, he was still producing humorous sketches of the people he encountered. His hundreds of caricatures are varied in style, ranging from schematic outlines of figures to more finished and traditional "portraits-charges" sporting big heads and small bodies. This vigorous early drawing of a clown falls into the category of exaggerated sketch. Since clowns are meant to look funny to begin with, it is diffcult to asses to what degree the crossed eyes and enormous mustache were part of the man's actual appearance. Yet the brisk lines that give him a wild look place the drawing well within the realm of Toulouse-Lautrec's caricatures. Such caricatures informed much of the artist's other work including his humorous designs for song sheets, menus, theater programs, posters, and such journals as "Le Rire".