Messalina

Painted in 1900 and now at the Kunsthaus Zürich, this work depicting Messalina — the notoriously licentious wife of Emperor Claudius — relates to Lautrec's attendance at a production of Isidore de Lara's opera Messaline at the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux in late 1900. He produced multiple works inspired by this operatic experience, combining his love of theatrical subjects with a classical historical theme. The Messalina series represents an unusual late detour into operatic and historical narrative for an artist whose reputation was built on the contemporary Parisian world. It suggests Lautrec's desire for a broader artistic ambition in his final years.

The theatrical costume and dramatic historical subject inspired a more gestural and richly coloured approach than Lautrec's characteristic cool social observation. Rich purples, crimsons, and golds animate the surface, with the theatrical lighting of the opera stage translated into heightened chromatic drama.