Why Not?...Once Is Not a Habit (Pourquoi pas?...Une fois n'est pas coutume)

The print depicts a close, potentially intimate encounter between a man (identified by a tall hat and cigarette) and a woman (with averted face and loose hair), suggesting a scene from Parisian nightlife or a private moment, reflective of Toulouse-Lautrec's fascination with social and theatrical scenes of his time.

The work showcases Toulouse-Lautrec's use of lithography, a technique allowing direct drawing onto a stone for printing. The loose, rapid lines are indicative of his expressive and spontaneous style, suited to capturing fleeting moments of modern life.

Created in 1893, this lithograph is part of Toulouse-Lautrec's late 19th-century output as a versatile artist (painter, printmaker, illustrator). Born into aristocracy with physical challenges from adolescence, he focused on Paris's vibrant, often marginalized, social scenes.

This work emerges from a period when artists were increasingly interested in depicting everyday life in a more direct and modern manner. Toulouse-Lautrec's choice of subject and technique reflects this trend, as well as his personal affinity for the theatrical and nocturnal aspects of Paris.