Elles, The Seated Clown, Mlle Cha-u-Ka-o 1896

Here you see Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s lithograph of Mademoiselle Cha-u-Kao from his series “Elles,” a portfolio of prints depicting women in a Parisian brothel. Cha-u-Kao was a performer at the Moulin Rouge, celebrated for her unconventional can-can dancing and her gender non-conformity. Lautrec, himself an outsider due to his physical disabilities, was drawn to subjects who lived on the margins of society. In this print, Cha-u-Kao is caught in a moment of repose, her clown costume a stark contrast to the fashionable couples in the background. She sits casually, her gaze direct, challenging the viewer's expectations of femininity and performance. The series “Elles” allowed Lautrec to explore themes of identity, performance, and the commodification of women's bodies in the context of the late 19th-century Parisian demimonde. Cha-u-Kao's image offers a glimpse into the lived experiences of those who defied social norms and carved out their own spaces of self-expression.