Nice, on the Promenade des Anglais

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec captured this scene of the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, the famous Mediterranean seafront walkway. The promenade, built by the English colony in Nice in the 1820s, became a fashionable destination for European aristocracy and wealthy tourists seeking the Riviera's mild climate.

Though Toulouse-Lautrec is best known for his depictions of Parisian nightlife, particularly the cabarets and dance halls of Montmartre, he traveled throughout France and captured diverse subjects. His aristocratic upbringing gave him access to high society even as his art documented its margins. The quick, confident brushwork characteristic of his Post-Impressionist style is evident here.

This painting remains in a private collection. Major collections of Toulouse-Lautrec's work can be found at the Musée Toulouse-Lautrec in Albi, his hometown, and at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. His ability to capture social atmosphere with just a few strokes made him one of the most distinctive artists of his generation.