Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec Biography

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864 - 1901)

1864	Henri-Marie-Raymond Toulouse-Lautrec-Montfa is born in the "Hôtel du Bosc" in Albi. Son of the count of Toulouse-Lautrec and countess Adèle-Zoé-Marie-Marquette Tapié of Céleyran, Lautrec is born into one of France's wealthiest families and his vocation as an artist somewhat surprises them.
1879	After first fracturing one leg, Lautrec's breaks his other leg after spontaneous fractures prevent his lower limb from developing. He is left crippled.
1881	He stops his studies and, following the advice of his first teacher Princeteau, goes to academic painter Bonnat's studio instead. He develops an interest in Japanese art and leaves Bonnat's studio to go to Cormon's the following year.
1884	He is moving further and further away from academic life, and sets himself up in Montmartre in the heart of Parisian nightlife.
1885	Aristide Bruant opens the "Le Mirliton" cabaret. Lautrec frequents Montmartre's cabarets.
1891	Henri Toulouse-Lautrec takes part in an exhibition at Le Barc de Bouteville's gallery, along with Anquetin, Emile Bernard, Pierre Bonnard and Maurice Denis. He signs the first poster that makes him famous: Moulin Rouge (La Goulue).
1892	Lautrec makes a poster for his friend Jane Avril, a French cancan dancer. She is also depicted in his works "Le Divan Japonais" and "Jane Avril du Jardin de Paris" (1893), and a last poster "Jane Avril" (1899). Lautrec creates his first poster from the Bruant series, Aristide Bruant aux Ambassadeurs.
1893	He becomes part of the "Revue Blanche" (White Review) social circle and gets friendly with the Natanson brothers, Tristan Bernard and Romain Coolus. He regularly visits brothels and develops a passion for the theatre.
1895	La Goulue asks him to make the scenery for her fairground stall. He goes to London with his friend Joyant where he meets Oscar Wilde and Whistler.
1896	He moves to 30, rue Fontaine and sails to Lisbon with his friend Joyant ("La passagère du 54"). He develops a passion for cycling and follows Tristan Bernard's performance in the velodromes.
1897	New studio at 15, rue Frochot. Publication of "Les Elles" album, the result of his work in the brothels, whose frontispiece is used as a poster.
1898	Exhibition at the Goupil Gallery in London. Lautrec publishes his second album, dedicated to Yvette Guilbert.
1899	Lautrec is put into a mental hospital for three months.
1901	He dies in Malromé at his mother's side. His body is buried in Verdelais.

Toulouse-Lautrec depicted the world of Paris nightlife in a style that transcended categorization. Influenced by the impressionists (particularly Degas), he exhibited with them at the 1889 Salon des Independants. His technical skills, evident early in his career, enabled him to create a sense of motion and atmosphere with a minimum of brushstrokes . Lautrec studied art in Paris and in 1885 opened his own studio in Montmartre, where the brothels and dance halls greatly inspired his work. He began producing posters in 1891 with immediate success; the first one was commissioned by the Moulin Rouge cabaret. Between 1891 and his death in 1901, Lautrec made 357 lithographs and was a popular artist for collectors of the day. His mastery of the medium won him international acclaim and in 1895 he was given two one-man shows in London. In 1900 he was appointed to the Committee of the Exposition Universelle, commemorating the 100th anniversary of lithography.

Artist's Showroom