Art Guide · Painters
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
1864–1901
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864–1901) was a French painter and poster artist who depicted the nightlife, cabarets and performers of Montmartre. His Moulin Rouge posters make him a pioneer of the modern poster.
Last updated: · Iconica Society editors
Life
Born into an aristocratic family in Albi in southern France, he broke both legs as a teenager; probably because of a hereditary condition, his legs stopped growing. He trained in Paris and settled in Montmartre, where cabarets, dance halls and brothels became his world.
Alcoholism quickly ruined his health and he died in 1901, aged 36. Works donated by his mother form the core of the Musée Toulouse-Lautrec in Albi.
Style and key works
Flat colour, bold outlines and sharp cropping borrowed from Japanese prints made his posters instantly recognisable on the street. The 1891 poster Moulin Rouge: La Goulue made him famous overnight; lithographic posters such as Divan Japonais (1893) remain among the best-loved poster designs.
Frequently asked questions
Why was Toulouse-Lautrec so short?
He broke both legs as a teenager and they never grew again; this is thought to have been caused by a hereditary bone disorder linked to intermarriage in his family.
Who was La Goulue?
The stage name of Louise Weber, the Moulin Rouge’s famous cancan dancer and the star of Lautrec’s first major poster.