At the Grand Palais in Paris for an extremely comprehensive and well-presented exhibition of the works of Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, the chronicler of Montmartre life and culture in the late nineteenth century.

Toulouse-Lautrec was born in Albi in south-west France, into an aristocratic family. However, childhood injuries that did not heal properly left him extremely short. After recognising that he had some artistic talent his parents arranged for him to have training, although he soon began to rebel against academic art and he set up his own studio in Montmartre, then one of the poorest areas of Paris.

He painted his friends and models as well as singers and dancers he met in the Moulin Rouge. He also frequented the brothels of the region and painted the prostitutes he met there. He was also particularly talented at producing advertising posters, first for the night clubs and theatres and later for commercial companies.

Towards the end of his short life, he died aged thirty-six, he suffered from alcoholism and probably also syphilis and was confined to a clinic. He died from a stroke whilst on holiday on the Atlantic coast of France. Despite his short career Toulouse-Lautrec produced 737 canvases, 275 watercolours, 369 prints and posters and over 5000 drawings.

Henri Toulouse-Lautrec ‘Equestrienne at the Cirque Fernando’ (1887 – 88)

Henri Toulouse-Lautrec ‘The Redhead in a White Blouse’ (1889)

Henri Toulouse-Lautrec ‘At the Moulin Rouge’ (1892 – 95)

Henri Toulouse-Lautrec ‘Moulin Rouge, La Goulue’ (1891)

Henri Toulouse-Lautrec ‘Les Ambassadeurs, Aristide Bruant’ (1893)

Henri Toulouse-Lautrec ‘Jardin de Paris, Jane Avril’ (1893)

Henri Toulouse-Lautrec ‘At the Salon, rue des Moulins’ (1894)

Henri Toulouse-Lautrec ‘The Jockey’ (1899)