Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

Wittrock 167, deuxieme édition 1896.

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was a French artist and designer born in Albi in the south of France. From a young age, he suffered from a skeletal disease that stunted his growth. He unfortunately died at the early age of 36, but despite this managed to create enough art to last an average lifetime. Toulouse-Lautrec studied in Paris under Léon Bonnat, Fernand Cormon, and René Princeteau, having horse paintings as his specialty. Similarly to Edgar Degas Toulouse-Lautrec depicted various aspects of everyday life, including racecourses, music and dance halls, and cabarets. He is most notably known for his poster art, notably the advertising posters for the Moulin Rouge cabaret, featuring cabaret artists such as Jane Avril and Aristide Bruant. His work was inspired by the Orientalist and geometric flatness seen in Japanese prints, incorporating bold black lines and sweeping diagonals. Toulouse-Lautrec was one of the most important and innovative poster artists of his time, known for his exceptional use of color and dynamic compositions.