By about 1890, Toulouse-Lautrec was a regular visitor to popular dance halls and cabarets like the Moulin Rouge and Le Mirliton. Having produced posters to advertise the venues and paintings inspired by performances and audiences, he soon became friendly with many of the star performers. These included Jane Avril, La Goulue, Yvette Guilbert, and the American dancer Loïe Fuller. Toulouse-Lautrec's ability to capture personality by means of a trademark costume or physical trait extended to other prominent figures who were not performers, like the doctor Jules-Émile Péan, recognizable by his bulky form and white neckerchief.
