How did Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec portray women and intimate relationships in The Bed?

In his 1892 painting The Bed, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec portrays women and their intimate relationships with profound empathy and sensitivity.1

As part of a series focusing on the lives of sex workers in Paris, the work depicts two women in an intimate setting, capturing a moment of "infinite ease and tenderness" as they converse. Rather than moralizing or glamorizing his subjects, Toulouse-Lautrec documents their character and everyday reality, highlighting the human connection between them.1

His approach is notable for its lack of judgment; he acts as a sympathizer rather than a voyeur, focusing on the genuine human experience of his subjects. By depicting these lesbian relationships within their private surroundings, he provides a rare, respectful glimpse into a facet of Parisian life that he observed firsthand during his time spent lodging in brothels. His work consistently aimed to "depict the true and not the ideal," capturing the essential nature of his subjects through his bold use of line and color.12