Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec: 12 works

'Apart from his skills in the field of painting and drawing, Toulouse-Lautrec was also an excellent lithographer and poster artist.'

'Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec explored the worlds of the theater, the cabaret, and the brothel--what the poet Charles Baudelaire called "the pleasures of Parisian life."'

'Henri-Marie-Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec-Monfa was the son of an aristocratic family of Toulouse. His parents could trace their ancestors all the way to Charlemagne.'

'Like La Goulue and the female clown Cha-U-Kao, Jane Avril was part of the night life and show business that Toulouse-Lautrec loved to portray.'

'The following year, when he started to make limited-edition lithographs, he continued to employ the eye-catching techniques of advertising art by using bright colors and bold outlines. He often used a spattered mist of color to add snap to his prints, an effect particularly noticeable here in the green dress.'

'Toulouse-Lautrec heightened the impact of his composition by the use of strong outlines and areas of flat color including shades of green, orange, yellow, black and a touch of red on the dancer's lips. Avril was a favorite model of Toulouse-Lautrec.'

'Captivated by this, Bing commissioned several Nabi artists and Toulouse-Lautrec to make about ten designs for stained glass to be produced in New York by Tiffany - stained glass played an important role at that time in the revival of interior decoration.'

'Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec's association with the Moulin Rouge began when it opened in 1889 and the owner bought as a decoration for the foyer the artist's "Equestrienne," also in the Art Institute collection. Lautrec populated this scene with portraits of the habitués and regulars of the dance hall, including himself--the diminutive figure in the center background--accompanied by his cousin and frequent companion, the physician Gabriel Tapié de Céleyran.'

'Unlike the series of drawings or lithographs in which Cha-U-Kao appeared under the spotlights, Toulouse-Lautrec here offers a more private view of his character, shown in her dressing room or a private room.'

'While in the clinic, Toulouse-Lautrec set upon the idea of creating a series of circus drawings to demonstrate his emotional stability and thus secure his release. Drawn from memories culled over many years of attendance at this popular entertainment, these works reveal his acute observation of horses, dogs, acrobats, clowns, and bareback riders.'

'While in the clinic, Toulouse-Lautrec set upon the idea of creating a series of circus drawings to demonstrate his emotional stability and thus secure his release.'

'This was one of Toulouse-Lautrec's last lithographs. The publisher Pierrefort intended to issue a portfolio with a racing theme, but Toulouse-Lautrec (1864-1901) was suffering acute alcoholic collapse at this time and this was the only print of the set that was completed.'