Polin (1898)

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec prints bring the dance halls, cabarets and stars of Belle Époque Montmartre onto your walls. Toulouse-Lautrec turned the poster into an art form with his bold lithographs for the Moulin Rouge, Aristide Bruant and Jane Avril, and painted the nightlife of Paris with sharp wit and sympathy. Our collection of fine art prints includes his famous posters, paintings of the Moulin Rouge, circus scenes and portraits.

About Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was born on 24 November 1864 in Albi, in the south of France, into an old aristocratic family. His parents were first cousins, and he suffered from a congenital condition. At thirteen and fourteen he broke both thighbones, which never healed properly, and his legs stopped growing.

As a boy he took lessons from the animal painter René Princeteau, a friend of his father. In 1882 he went to Paris to study with Léon Bonnat and then with Fernand Cormon, where he met Émile Bernard and Vincent van Gogh. He settled in Montmartre, which he rarely left over the next twenty years, and began showing his work at Aristide Bruant's cabaret, the Mirliton.

When the Moulin Rouge opened in 1889 he was commissioned to make posters for it. Other cafés and cabarets followed, and his posters of Bruant, Jane Avril and the dancer La Goulue made him famous. Heavy drinking damaged his health, and in 1899 his family had him committed to a sanatorium, where he drew a series of circus pictures from memory. He died at his mother's estate, Château Malromé, on 9 September 1901, aged 36.

Style and Subjects

Toulouse-Lautrec's posters use flat areas of bright colour, strong outlines, bold cropping and lettering built into the design, ideas he shared with the Japanese prints popular in Paris. A few lines can capture the swing of a dancer's skirt or the shape of a singer's gloved arms.

His paintings, often in thin oil on cardboard, show cabaret performers, dancers, circus riders and the women of Montmartre with honesty and without sentiment. Faces are lit by harsh stage light in greens, oranges and violets.

Famous Works

• Equestrienne (At the Cirque Fernando) (1888), Art Institute of Chicago. A circus rider circling the ring as the ringmaster cracks his whip.
• At the Moulin Rouge, The Dance (1890), Philadelphia Museum of Art. A couple dances at the Moulin Rouge in front of a crowd.
• Moulin Rouge: La Goulue (1891). His first poster, which made his name overnight.
• At the Moulin Rouge (1892), Art Institute of Chicago. His friends at a table in the dance hall, with a woman's green-lit face at the edge.
• Ambassadeurs: Aristide Bruant (1892). The singer in his black hat and red scarf, one of the most famous posters ever made.
• Divan Japonais (1892). Jane Avril in black watching a performance at a Paris café-concert.
• Jane Avril (1893). The dancer kicking up her legs on stage, framed by a cello.

Decorating with Toulouse-Lautrec Prints

Toulouse-Lautrec's posters are made for walls that want energy: living rooms, entryways, kitchens, home bars and studios. Their flat colour and bold lettering suit modern and vintage interiors alike, and a pair such as Aristide Bruant and Divan Japonais makes a classic Paris statement.

His circus and dance-hall paintings work well in a dining room or den, while the quieter portraits and sketches suit a study or bedroom.

FAQ

What is Toulouse-Lautrec most famous for?

He is most famous for his posters of Montmartre cabarets and their stars, such as Moulin Rouge: La Goulue, Aristide Bruant and Jane Avril, and for his paintings of the Moulin Rouge.

What art movement was Toulouse-Lautrec part of?

He is counted among the Post-Impressionists, with Cézanne, Van Gogh, Gauguin and Seurat. His posters also helped shape Art Nouveau graphic design.

Why was Toulouse-Lautrec so short?

He broke both thighbones as a teenager and they did not heal properly, probably because of a genetic disorder. His legs stopped growing and he reached about 1.52 metres in height.

Did Toulouse-Lautrec know Van Gogh?

Yes. They met as students in Fernand Cormon's studio and exhibited together. In 1890 Lautrec even challenged a critic of Van Gogh's work to a duel.

Where can I see Toulouse-Lautrec's work?

The Musée Toulouse-Lautrec in Albi has the largest collection. Major works are also in the Musée d'Orsay, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Related Artists

• Jules Chéret: the father of the colour poster, whose work paved the way for his
• Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen: fellow poster artist of Montmartre
• Émile Bernard: his friend from Cormon's studio
• Louis Anquetin: fellow student at Cormon's studio who exhibited with him
• Édouard Vuillard: painter of the same years who wrote about him