Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec suffers a mental collapse…

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec suffers a mental collapse at the beginning of 1899.

The immediate cause is the sudden, unexplained departure of his mother from Paris on January 3.

He has always been close to his family, particularly to his mother, who has always supported his ambitions; and he interprets her leaving as a betrayal.

The effect on his weakened system is severe, and he is committed shortly thereafter to a sanatorium in Neuilly-sur-Seine.

This decision is made by the artist's mother, against the advice of relatives and friends of the artist, in the hope of avoiding a scandal.

Toulouse-Lautrec remains formally committed until March 31, 1899, though he chooses to stay on at the sanatorium until mid-May.

While there he is able to demonstrate his lucidity and power of memory by preparing a number of works on the theme of the circus.

These works, however, lack the force and intensity of his earlier compositions.