Toulouse-Lautrec, Henri de

(1864-1901)

   painter, illustrator, lithographer

   The postimpressionist artist best known for his depictions of late-19th-century bohemian Parisian nightlife, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was born in Albi to an old aristocratic family. He studied at the lycée Condorcet and, because of a congenital deficiency and aggravated by two falls from horses (1878, 1879), remained stunted fro the rest of his life. Encouraged by his mother to paint and talented at drawing, he received tutoring in those areas and began to paint equestrian and military scenes (Artilleur sellant son cheval, 1879). Beginning in 1882, he studied in Paris with léon bonnat and became friends with émile Bernard and vincent van gogh (1886). Settling in Montmartre, he assiduously frequented and was fascinated by that district's cabarets (including the Moulin-Rouge), cafés, dance and music halls, and theaters. He illustrated the songs of Aristide bruant and, with an initially somber palette, painted realistic female portraits and dance scenes. under the influence of impressionism, his palette became lighter, but he always put his own emphasis on his figures and remained entirely independent. He learned from Edouard manet but above all assimilated the art of edgar degas while influenced, too, by Japanese prints, with their bright colors and lines. The development of these aspects is evident in the series of posters that he produced beginning in 1891 (Le Bal du Moulin-Rouge), remarkable for their concise lines and liveliness. In his prints (more than 500) and humorous drawings, Toulouse-Lautrec shows his virtuosity and keen and often caustic sense of observation, and demonstrates his use of sharp delineation. His paintings and chalk drawings done on cardboard and enhanced by color (Femme qui tire son bras, 1894) evoke, with a rare and expressive intensity, the entertainers, celebrities, and familiar personages of Montmartre (Au bal du Moulin de la Galette, 1889; Jane Avril sortant du Moulin-Rouge, 1892; Yvette Guibert, 1894). He found inspiration, too, in the world of horse racing and domestic themes (Au salon, 1894), but also at the courts of justice and in hospitals. Excessive drinking, however, would destroy his sanity and eventually paralyze him. in his work the dominance of the graphic element and the audacious use of color, chosen above all for its expressive value, made Toulouse-Lautrec a much admired favorite of the Fauvists and expressionists. The town of Albi has an important museum dedicated to his works.