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Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
(1864-1901)

Toulouse-Lautrec was a French painter and lithographer, b. Albi. Demonstating an gift for drawing at a young age, Toulouse-Lautrec was a student of Bonnat and Cormon. His childhood years were spent on family estates. He would make Paris his home by 1872. Because of a genetic bone condition he walked with a cane and would only reach a height of four feet eleven inches tall. These physical handicaps as well as alcoholism would dog him thoughout his life. In spite of all this however he had managed to create a unique recognizable style in his work. When he was 21 he set up a studio of his own. He also greatly admired the work of Degas.

Toulouse-Lautrec would attain fame during the 1890's. It would be the banquet years of Paris. It was when the city flaunted its entertainmen and fashion. He lived during the height of what have been called "the banquet years" of Paris. From these years Lautrec created the themes of his work He was as serious about printmaking as well as the art of painting. His graphic work captured the life of Paris at the time including the music halls, circuses, brothels, and cabaret life of the city. His work would include illustrations for music publishers, menus, and theatre programs. Because of Lautrec's innovations in color lithography he helped create a greater freedom and a new immediacy in the design of posters. His posters of the dancers and personalities at the Moulin Rouge cabaret would become world renowned. He was willing to design for such common products as furniture. In so doing he would be more accessible to the public.

During his life Lautrec created more than 1,000 paintings, 5,000 drawings, and 350 prints and posters. But because of alcoholism, he suffered a total mental and physical collapse and died at the age of 37. His many art works include his painting 'At the Moulin de la Galette' (1892) and the lithograph 'Seated Female Clown' (1896). Although his work was not fully appreciated in his lifetime he is now considered by many to be one the worlds great artists.

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