Lautrec: Jane Avril Dancing Postcard

"Jane Avril Leaves the Rouge" was created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864-1901). Jane Avril (1868-1943), born Jeanne Richepin, was a famous Parisian can-can dancer. In 1895, the owners of the Rouge offered her a great deal of money to take on the risky task of replacing Louise Weber, the most famous dancer in Paris, known by her stage name as "La Goulue". Graceful, soft-spoken, and melancholic, Jane Avril gave a dance presentation that was the opposite of the very bodacious La Goulue. Nevertheless, the club's patrons adored her and she became one of the most recognizable names of the Parisian nightlife. That same year, Avril gave birth to a son but quickly returned to dancing and remained a star for many more years.