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The Little Giant

© Douglas Russell

Toulouse-Lautrec. Who has not heard of this little man, who was such a towering figure in the art world? In a career that lasted less than twenty years, he came to represent almost the archetype of the bohemian artist -- an artist who also exemplified the avant-garde; who was well known and respected at the time, influential on contemporary as well as future artists, and whose work is highly prized today. His distinctive posters are some of the most widely recognized images in the genre.

Born in 1864 near the town of Toulouse in southern France, the future artist had the misfortune to break both his legs while still in his teens. Burdened with a genetically inherited bone weakness, his legs failed to heal properly, and at his adult height, he was barely five feet tall. He had a talent for drawing and studied for a while with a local artist, before eventually making his way to Paris, where, by 1882, he had settled in the area of Montmartre, a popular haven for artists, and also known for its bustling nightlife.

Henri was fascinated by and enjoyed mingling with the teeming wildlife who frequented the cabarets, dance halls, music halls, nightclubs and brothels of Montmartre. He enjoyed the conviviality of its social scene and would often sketch the patrons and performers, later expanding his work into posters, prints and paintings. One of his favorite haunts was Le Chat Noir, a cabaret founded in 1881 by the artist Rodolphe Salis. It was later renamed Le Mirliton by singer/comedian Aristide Bruant, who took over the club. Bruant was known for his rude behavior and witty insults, but he actually took a liking to Henri and treated him with respect. Bruant later appeared at another club, Les Ambassadeurs, and asked the artist to design and paint a poster for him. It became one of Lautrec's most famous designs. In fact, many of his finest posters portray people he knew from Montmartre's seductive environment. Louise Weber, apparently a shameless and outrageous dancer who appeared at the soon to be world-famous music hall, the Moulin Rouge, which opened in 1889, was the subject of his well-known "La Goulue" poster of 1891. Jane Avril, successor to Weber, was shown on several posters, and other performers, including Yvette Guilbert, May Milton and May Belfort, were also depicted. Henri enjoyed the company of prostitutes and even maintained, for a time, a studio in a local brothel. He drew many pictures of their dreary existence and later collected his work in a series of drawing he called Elles.

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