Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
Born
Died
November 24, 1864
September 9, 1901
Albi, Tarn, France Château Malromé, France
French Post-Impressionist Artist
Dance at the Moulin Rouge (1890)
Equestrienne (At the Circus Fernando)
(1888)
Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec-Monfa
was born into an aristocratic French family descended
from the Counts of Toulouse and Lautrec, although the
family was not as affluent as they had been.
Toulouse-Lautrec broke both of his femur bones as a
teen and as a result, his legs stopped growing. His upper body was not affected and so he took on a dwarfish appearance as an adult. It is likely that ToulouseLautrec had brittle bones as well as other health problems that were a result of inbreeding within his ancestors. His parents were first cousins.
Toulouse-Lautrec took an interest in art at a young age
and due to his health and handicaps, art became his
primary interest and activity. His parents realized he
had a gift and Henri went to Paris to learn.
He was a skilled painter but also excelled in commercial art and lithography. He is well known for his
paintings but perhaps better known for his numerous
posters advertising the entertainers and clubs that
dominated the night life of the Montmartre area of
Paris. In fact, his posters were so popular, they were
often removed and stolen as soon as they were
posted by collectors wanting his work.
The Montmartre area of Paris is a popular spot with
artists now just as it was in Toulouse-Lautrec’s era.
When not creating, they could often be found discussing art at cafes or enjoying the nightlife.
Where Impressionism had opened the door to depicting more common, everyday situations in art,
Toulouse-Lautrec and other post-Impressionists took the concept a little further. Toulouse-Lautrec
found himself drawn to the world of brothels and nightclubs and drew much of his inspiration
from the people he met there. Often, his works do not seek to bring out traditional beauty but instead are closer to a grotesque, gaudy caricature that captures the emotion of the actions.
At the Moulin Rouge (1895)
This has a photographic style which is particularly apparent from the cut-off face of the
woman at the right. Toulouse-Lautrec himself
is one of the people sitting at the table.
One of Toulouse-Lautrec’s first attempts at lithography, this poster depicts the dancer La
Goule (Louise Weber) and her partner Valentin le désossé (Jacques Renaudin) performing
at the legendary Moulin Rouge.
Being from late 19th century France, the Impressionists had a significant influence on his style.
But additionally, he was heavily influenced by Japanese art, particularly ukiyo-e print style. This art
emphasized thick outlines, slanted angles, figures
in silhouette, and pictures that seemed to “cutoff” subjects.
His art is defined by limited but often garish color choices.
He preferred using bold, vibrant colors to display great contrast rather than blending colors. He also used loose, broad
brushstrokes to great effect and found a preference for
painting on cardboard rather than traditional canvas.
Jane Avril was one of Toulouse-Lautrec’s favorites.
She was a very popular dancer and was helped by
Toulouse-Lautrec’s vibrant portraits and posters
featuring her image.
Aristide Bruant was a singer and comedian and later a club owner in the Monmarte
community. He and Toulouse-Lautrec became good friends and Toulouse-Lautrec
created posters to advertise Bruant’s performances.
Mr. Toulouse paints Mr. Lautrec (1891)
Toulouse-Lautrec had a lifelong interest in photography in
addition to his canvas and poster art. He liked having his
picture taken and would often use a photograph as a source
for painting and drawing if the subject was unavailable.
In 2005, Toulouse-Lautrec’s La blanchisseuse (1889) sold at auction for $22.4 million.
This is the highest price ever for a Toulouse-Lautrec painting.
Toulouse-Lautrec’s painting of Vincent Van Gogh from
1887. Many consider this to be the best painting of Van
Gogh and it currently resides on display in the Van Gogh
Museum located in Amsterdam.
This painting of Oscar Wilde in 1895 was done from
memory. Wilde was facing indecency charges and
wouldn’t sit, so Toulouse-Lautrec sketched Wilde from
memory.
He was well liked and had many friends, including Van Gogh and Oscar Wilde. Despite this, he was often
depressed and unhappy and spent most of his adult life as an alcoholic. It was a combination of his
alcoholism and syphilis that caused his death at the early age of 36.
Toulouse-Lautrec’s famous “chop mark” signature
used on his poster prints. It is in a Japanese style
and includes his initials “HTL.”
Toulouse-Lautrec was an alcoholic nearly his entire adult life.
He turned to wine and beer to numb himself from the cruel
taunts he received about his height although he eventually
turned to more potent mixtures. One of his experiments became famous: Tremblement de Terre (Earthquake). It is a
drink containing 3 parts Absinthe and 3 parts Cognac and is
served in a wine goblet.
Henri de Toulouse—
Lautrec
Vincent Menjou Cortes, Midnight in Paris (2011)
At the movies!
José Ferrer, Moulin Rouge (1952)
John Leguizamo, Moulin Rouge! (2001)
Henri Toulouse-Lautrec is a primary character in
Christopher Moore’s novel Sacré Bleu: A Comedy
d’Art (2012). The story centers around the suspicious
death of Vincent Van Gogh and Toulouse-Lautrec
teams up with a young artist to find out what really
happened to their friend.
In 2013, he even appeared on a baseball card!
(Upper Deck Goodwin Champions #156)
Tom Baker as Doctor Who
One of the strangest bits of pop culture
related to Toulouse-Lautrec is the appearance of the 4th Doctor Who. The
costume designer, James Acheson,
says he was “unconsciously” influenced by Lautrec’s
posters featuring Aristide Bruant.
Post-Impressionism: A Lasting Legacy
The styles developed during the Post-Impressionist era
and the rise of more commercial art and lithography
helped pave the road to the modern graphic novel genre.
The bright bold colors, emphasis on action, and the focus
on more everyday settings grew interest and the use of
art as advertising increased accessibility to the general
public.