Madame Countess Adèle de Toulouse-Lautrec in the Garden of Malromé
São Paulo Museum of Art, São Paulo
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec painted his mother, the Comtesse Adèle de Toulouse-Lautrec, at Malromé, the family's chateau near Bordeaux that she had bought and where Lautrec spent long stretches of time away from Paris, including the summer of 1887[1]. Portraiture was Lautrec's main genre throughout his career, and his mother was among his most frequent sitters[1]. A closely related portrait of her at Malromé, showing her seated in the chateau's living room rather than its garden, is documented as a classical and serious work built from harmonious blue tones, markedly unlike the bright, satirical energy of Lautrec's Montmartre cabaret scenes[1]. Lautrec is recorded signing some work from this period under the reversed pseudonym Treclau, possibly out of reluctance to draw further attention to a family from whom he was growing increasingly distant, and whose disapproval had already cost him financial support for his Paris studio[1]. By the time he settled permanently in Montmartre he had largely severed ties with his father's side of the family, though Malromé, and his mother, remained a fixed point he returned to throughout his difficult later years[1].
Where it is held
Held at São Paulo Museum of Art, São Paulo, Brazil.
Now held at the São Paulo Museum of Art. A closely related portrait of the same sitter, set in the chateau's living room rather than its garden, is separately documented; this garden version itself is not.
Malromé, a retreat from Paris
The Comtesse Adèle de Toulouse-Lautrec bought the chateau of Malromé, near Bordeaux, and her son spent long stretches of time there away from Paris, including the whole summer of 1887[1]. Lautrec was not drawn to landscape painting, even in the grounds of a chateau; portraiture remained his main genre wherever he worked[1]. From this period comes a documented portrait of his mother seated in the living room at Malromé, described as classical and serious in tone, built from harmonious blues, a marked contrast to the bright colours and satirical energy of his cabaret scenes from the same years[1].
A distant family, a hidden signature
Around this time Lautrec began signing some of his work with his name spelled backwards, as Treclau, rather than his own[1]. The likely reason was reluctance to draw further attention to his family, from whom he was becoming increasingly distant as his life in Montmartre diverged further from the aristocratic upbringing his father had intended for him[1]. His father eventually refused to pay for his studio in Paris. When Lautrec chose to settle permanently in Montmartre rather than return to the family's world, he severed most of his remaining ties with that side of the family[1].
Adèle, his most constant sitter
Even as Lautrec's ties to his father's family weakened, his mother remained one of the people he painted most often[1]. The contrast between his restrained, classically toned portraits of her and the loose, brightly coloured, often satirical pictures he made of dancers and performers in Montmartre shows the range Lautrec worked across throughout his career, moving between the formal world he had been born into and the demimonde he chose to live in instead[1].
Common questions
Who is the sitter in this portrait?
The Comtesse Adèle de Toulouse-Lautrec, the artist's mother, painted at Malromé, the family chateau near Bordeaux that she owned. She was one of the sitters Lautrec painted most frequently throughout his career[1].
Where is Malromé and why did the family spend time there?
Malromé is a chateau near Bordeaux bought by the artist's mother. Lautrec spent long stretches of time there away from Paris, including the summer of 1887, using it as a retreat from the demands and the drinking of his Montmartre life[1].
Did Toulouse-Lautrec paint his mother more than once?
Yes. Alongside this garden portrait, a separately documented painting shows her seated in the chateau's living room, described as a classical, serious work built from harmonious blue tones[1].
Why did Toulouse-Lautrec sign some works 'Treclau'?
Treclau is his own surname spelled backwards. It is thought he used it to avoid drawing further attention to his family, from whom he had grown increasingly distant, though the exact reason is not certain[1].
Sources
Editorial draws on the following references, verified against the museum and public-domain image record for this work.
- [1] book Brodskaïa, Nathalia; , Impressionism and Post-Impressionism Used for: this artwork.
Editorial overseen by Solis Prints. Sources verified 2026-09-03. Click a source for details, or hover over [N] in the page above to preview.
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