Une opération par le Docteur Péan à l’Hôpital International 1891

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec made this painting of an operation at the International Hospital using oil paint on cardboard. Lautrec abandoned traditional techniques, and instead he applies thin washes of diluted oil paint to a humble support. The cardboard’s brown tone shines through the translucent paint layers, adding a sense of immediacy and capturing the stark environment of the operating theatre. The loose brushwork and muted color palette emphasize the clinical atmosphere, hinting at both the precision and the suffering inherent in medical practice. The painting's surface reflects Lautrec's hands-on involvement, and highlights the tension between the value placed on artistic skill, and the manual dexterity also required in industrial labor. Ultimately, considering the material and the artist's engagement with it encourages us to reflect on the social context of both art creation and medical innovation. It bridges the perceived gap between fine art and everyday life.