Toulouse-Lautrec and His Paintings
Saturday, April 26th, 2008Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec [French Post-Impressionist Painter and Printmaker, 1864-1901], descendant of the counts of Toulouse, was born on November 24, 1864 in the French town of Albi. As a child, Henri was weak and often sick. In 1887 he established himself as an artist in Paris.
For his subjects he took the night-life of Montmartre: circus, theatre, cabaret as well as brothels and bars. With a sparing use of materials, he managed to capture with great accuracy the artists and other people who frequented these establishments. Lautrec achieved greatest fame with his lithographs, particularly his posters for song, dance and cabaret performances. Inspired by Japanese prints, he used strong contours and sharply contrasting colours in these posters. At the age of thirty-six, he died from a serious disease brought on by heavy drinking.
