French painter and illustrator, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec is an important representative of post-impressionism. There have been many famous French artists throughout history, but few with such a tale of adversary and tragedy as Henri.
Henri`s life was marked by this rare genetic disease that he suffered from.
Who Was Lautrec
Born on November 24, 1864, in Albi. His parents were first cousins. At that time, marriages in the nobility were common between cousins in order to avoid the division of the patrimonies and the reduction of the fortune.
In 1865, his parents separated, and Henri was placed in the care of his mother. However, all things considered, he had a happy childhood.
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec`s disease
At the start of his adolescence, the young Henri suddenly stopped growing. Doctors diagnosed him with pycnodysostosis, a genetic syndrome probably due to the consanguinity of his parents. This has the particularity of affecting the development of bones and weakening them.
Later, Toulouse-Lautrec slipped and broke his femur. His illness prevented the fracture from recovering properly, which worsened his stunting. Affected by a form of dwarfism, he did not exceed the size of 1.52m. These events oriented the destiny of the young man who was immobilized for long months. To occupy his days, he began drawing and painting.
He developed a taste for it and showed talent from a very young age. Lately, he decided to make it his vocation.
Jane Avril and Toulouse-Lautrec
In 1882, he moved to Paris to perfect his knowledge of art. He soaked up impressionism and befriended Edgar Degas and Vincent Van Gogh.
Henri frequented cabarets, notably the Moulin Rouge, and immortalized them in his paintings as well as on posters. He captured both the everyday life of Paris and the lives of many who lived more controversial, including brothel workers and dancing girls.
Moulin rouge by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
The artist often painted all his subjects and scenes in vibrant emotive colors and celebrated their lives and activities.
Au salon de la rue des Moulins by de Toulouse Lautrec
The bohemian life of the Parisian district inspired him and set him up as a painter of Montmartre nightlife. During these nights of celebration and debauchery, the painter met Jane Avril. She was a dancer at the Moulin Rouge and the Japanese Divan. Jane quickly became a muse of the artist who, admiring her talent, dedicated several of these works to her, notably her painting Jane Avril dancing in 1892. She was a friend of the artist until her death.
Jane Avril by de Toulouse Lautrec
Sadly succumbing to alcoholism and the effects of syphilis which he allegedly caught from Rosa la Rouge, who was one of his models. He was found dead on September 9th, 1901 at his family’s estate after touring France and attempting to resolve his drinking issues.
After his death, his mother tried to have his works put on display at the Louvre museum in Paris but was refused. Fortunately for us, many of his works can be found in the town of Albi, where his mother and the mayor at the time arranged for a museum to be dedicated to Henri.
