Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

Widely recognized as one of the most influential artists of the Post-Impressionist era, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec possessed an extraordinary talent for capturing the theatrical essences of turn-of-the-century Parisian life. His bold use of color and provocative imagery would secure the artist’s standing in the decadent and sometimes darker aspects of urban French society, despite the artist’s struggles with addiction and physical disabilities. Today, Toulouse-Lautrec’s paintings command record setting prices on the rare occasions that they become available for sale.

Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec-Monfa was born into an aristocratic family in Albi; a commune in the south of France. The year was 1864. His family life would become somewhat unstable early on as, after the death of his younger brother in 1868, his parents separated. During this period, Toulouse-Lautrec was raised primarily by a nanny until, at the age of 8, he was sent to join his mother in Paris. It was here that his artistic talents began to become evident, and he began to take drawing lessons from Rene Princeteau, who was a friend of Henri’s father. During this early training, he spent a lot of time drawing horses; a subject which would reemerge some years later in the artist’s Circus Paintings. It is also during this period that Toulouse-Lautrec’s genetic disorder would begin to become apparent.

In the span of a year, Toulouse-Lautrec suffered first one broken leg, then the other. The bones did not heal properly, and the artist’s growth was severely stunted. Reaching a height of only 5’1” by adulthood, the artist had a normal size torso with very short legs. While his physical limitations would lead to a full immersion in his studies of art (as he was unable to participate in “normal” physical activities for his age), the artist’s own feelings of inadequacy surrounding these disabilities would eventually contribute to a tragic end, largely due to complications of alcoholism.

Toulouse-Lautrec would be introduced to Monmarte, an area of Paris popular among artists, during his studies under Bonnat. Here he would spend the better part of 20 years observing, illustrating and painting scenes of local landscape and culture. He also studied in the studio of Fernand Cormon in the early years of Monmarte, and it was here that he became friends with Emile Bernard and Vincent van Gogh. The collection of paintings, Prostitutes of Monmarte, was inspired here, reportedly with his introduction to a prostitute known as Marie-Charlotte.

In the late 1880’s, Toulouse-Lautrec exhibited his works in the Paris Salon, where he was invited to exhibit in Brussels, as well. He also participated in the Independent Artist’s Salon. However, it was the opening of the cabaret known as Moulin Rouge that would garner the artist income enough to support himself independently – though his finances were comfortable enough through family support. A gifted illustrator, Toulouse-Lautrec was responsible for creating posters for Moulin Rouge, as well as a number of other nightclubs in Monmarte. These works as a poster illustrator would later lead him to London, where he met and befriended playwright, Oscar Wilde. Toulouse-Lautrec painted Wilde’s portrait the same year he was imprisoned over matters related to the playwright’s characteristically controversial behavior.