Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

The collection includes some of the best-known images of this great artist.
When my pencil moves, it is necessary to let it go. Nothing more!

Toulouse-Lautrec is recognized around the world as an important Post-Impressionist painter, illustrator, and lithographer. He is best known for his works depicting scenes from cabarets, theaters, dance halls, and brothels of late 19th-century bohemian Paris. These were themes that the artist lived, beginning in 1885 when he moved to Montmartre and immersed himself in its nightlife.

Toulouse-Lautrec wanted to show life as it is, not as it should be, but this objectivity was not without empathy or humor. His interest lay in portraying people, not only those he met during his nights on the town, but also his friends and the working-class citizens of Paris. He was a hard-working artist, producing an enormous body of work in a wide range of media.

Lautrec made 30 advertising posters in his lifetime, but also illustrated theater programs, book covers, menus, invitations, and sheet music. His expressive use of lines found the perfect medium in lithography. He never made a distinction between commercial and fine art.

The collection includes some of the best-known images of this great artist with a total of 25 large posters, some before the advertising letters, prints, and drawings (including double-sided drawings), a rare lithographic stone, book illustrations, a number of vintage photos from the estate of his mother, including one taken by his friend Alfred Natanson with the artist sleeping and another intimate series of 4 photographs of the artist by his other friend Maurice Joyant, a series of very personal snapshots taken of Lautrec in ‘compromising positions’ wraps up this extensive collection of more than 300 original artworks.

Alsο included are 15 framed poignant handwritten letters of Lautrec to his mother and grandmother touching such interesting topics as requesting money to pay for his rent, comments of Degas after visiting his studio, seeking the address of Yvette Guilbert to send her a painting and other interesting insights to his Parisian life.  Other letters are to his printer, suppliers, etc. providing an interesting glimpse at the daily routine of the artist.

Exhibits

There are more than 300 exhibits, all original works by Lautrec comprising 200 prints and posters, more than 90 drawings, a lithographic stone, 15 handwritten letters and vintage photographs of the artist.

Highlights

Museum-quality original posters (affiches), lithographs, drypoints, and extremely rare drawings (some double-sided) done by the artist (as published in Wittrock and Dortu), plus poignant handwritten letters of Lautrec to his mother and grandmother. Of note, more than 70 lithographs or dry points are identified by Wittrock as rare, very rare, or extremely rare. All the works are framed, each with a variety of period designs, as per museum specifications. Also included is a very unique lithographic stone of the cover of a music sheet (“Pour Toi!”) of Désiré Dihau, its preliminary drawing, the actual signed lithograph and a copy of the music sheet.  This set can be presented in a display case.

Exhibition Materials

High resolution images, captions, wall texts. 

Display

Approximately 275 linear meters (depending on the installation).

Catalogue

Τhe collector makes available the catalogue of the collection which can be adapted to be an exhibition catalogue.

Characteristics

  • Geographic location of storage: CT, U.S.A
  • All works are shipped framed as per international museum standards.
  • Collection includes the necessary international shipping crates and packing materials ensuring safe “nail to nail” transport.
  • Collection is comprehensive, covering a substantial part of the artist’s body of work making it capable of serving as a stand-alone exhibition.
  • Museum curators are provided with extensive information and may curate the exhibition to their specifications.
  • Collection may be expanded or complemented with art from the borrowing museum’s own collections.
  • Collection provides endless opportunities for the development of educational programs, which we can assist with.
  • This is a single-source exhibition

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

Toulouse-Lautrec is recognized around the world as an important Post-Impressionist painter, illustrator and lithographer. He is best known for his works depicting scenes from cabarets, theaters, dance halls, and brothels of late 19th century bohemian Paris. These were themes that the artist lived, beginning in 1885 when he moved to Montmartre and immersed himself in its nightlife.

Toulouse-Lautrec wanted to show life as it is, not as it should be, but this objectivity was not without empathy or humor. His interest lay in portraying people, not only those he met during his nights on the town, but also his friends and the working-class citizens of Paris. He was a hard-working artist, producing an enormous body of work in a wide range of media.

Lautrec made 30 advertising posters in his lifetime, but also illustrated theater programs, book covers, menus, invitations, and sheet music. His expressive use of line found the perfect medium in lithography. He never made a distinction between commercial and fine art.

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