The Muse of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

"One day, as he and Rachou were going to lunch at Boivin's, they met a girl whose simple dress was that of a worker, but whose copper hair caused Lautrec to stop and entusiastically cry out:

"She's swell! She looks like a proper bitch! Wouldn't it be marvellous if we could have her as a model! You should ask her."

"Her name was Carmen Gaudin and she was a sweet, slightly sickly worker. Lautrec who had pictured her as a formidable bitch was very surprised when he heard that her lover gave her some sound beatings. She was punctual and remained his favourite model for a long time."

-- François Gauzi