Bringing the Talent to you

The exhibition now showing at Pisa’s elegant Palazzo Blu is dedicated to the works of the late 19th century French artist, Henri de Toulouse - Lautrec. As an introduction, visitors are taken into the world of this extraordinary and innovative artist by skillful use of black and white film clips accompanied by background music of the period, including the Can-can. These depict a bustling Parisian street life and colourful night- life, found in the bars, brothels and cabarets of Montmartre in the late 19th century, all of which conspired to inspire and capture the imagination of this great artist.

Toulouse Lautrec at the Palazzo Blu

Toulouse-Lautrec was drawn to Montmartre, the area of Paris famous for its bohemian lifestyle and the haunt of artists, writers, and philosophers. Impressionist artists like Degas and Manet influenced and inspired his paintings and the development of his style owes much to the classical Japanese wood - block prints which were popular in the Parisian arts world at that time. With the birth of modern print making, he was able to promote popular entertainers in the growing night - life culture and the advertising lithograph took off.

The exhibition now showing at Pisa’s elegant Palazzo Blu is dedicated to the works of the late 19th century French artist, Henri de Toulouse - Lautrec. As an introduction, visitors are taken into the world of this extraordinary and innovative artist by skillful use of black and white film clips accompanied by background music of the period, including the Can-can. These depict a bustling Parisian street life and colourful night- life, found in the bars, brothels and cabarets of Montmartre in the late 19th century, all of which conspired to inspire and capture the imagination of this great artist.


Toulouse – Lautrec (1864 – 1901) was born into an aristocratic family in the south of France, but due to inbreeding, (his parents were first cousins) suffered severe physical ailments leading to a growth problem. While his upper body developed as that of a normal adult, his legs stopped growing and remained those of a child causing him to walk with great difficulty using a cane.

A promising artist from an early age, he began to immerse himself more and more in his art work and over his short lifetime produced a considerable number of paintings, drawings, lithographs, posters and prints, over 150 of which are now on display in the Palazzo. His work can be seen as forging a link between 19th century Impressionism and the 20th century Avant-garde.
Despite his personal problems, this was an exciting time to be an artist.

The historical period from 1870 up to 1914 and the outbreak of WW1 has been labelled La Belle Époque, because it was considered a golden age, contrasting greatly with the horrors of the war. It was a period of optimism, peace and prosperity, many innovations in science and technology and in Paris, the arts flourished.

Despite dying young from a mixture of alcoholism and syphilis, his influence on the art world was considerable and no doubt led to the 20th century medium of Pop Art, with the work of Andy Warhol and others.

He was helped in this venture when he received commissions by trendy cabaret night-clubs, such as the Moulin Rouge and the Divan Japonais to design advertising posters. His work not only promoted night-club entertainers as celebrities, but also took the advertising lithograph medium to the giddy heights of fine art.

In his
paintings, posters and lithographs we can see clearly depicted the colourful life-style of Parisians at that time, in particular in the Moulin Rouge and other cabarets, café-concerts and theatres in Montmartre and the maisons closes, all of which he frequented regularly.

The exhibition is divided into five sections that together give a clear insight into Lautrec’s Paris, the first looking at his life in Montmartre and the second focusing on the theatre. There were various theatrical performers who became his muses, one of his favourites being the dancer, Jane Avril who really sparked his imagination.

The third section looks at Lautrec’s posters, the fourth the maisons closes and the final section is devoted to the lithographs, paintings and drawings showing his love of horse racing, the circus and general events in his daily life.


This excellent exhibition, which closes on 16 February 2016, is open daily from 10am and the ticket price includes an excellent audio guide available in several languages.

Further information can be found at
www.toulouselautrec-pisa.it

Diane Warner