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Toulouse-Lautrec
Today, the painter and graphic artist Henri Toulouse-Lautrec (1864-1901) is considered as one of the most inspired portrayers of human figures. This physically handicapped scion of the old French nobility was fascinated by life around Montmartre, whose cafes, cabarets, dance halls, and bordellos presented him with the theatre of life. More than any other artist, Toulouse-Lautrec captured the belle epoque's pursuit of fleeting directly and without flattery, his paintings, lithographs, and posters offer a masterly and timeless image of the age.
96 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1990
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
December 17, 2022
Uwielbiam te ryparograficzne zabawy formą i barwą Lautreca - sposób, w jaki dekonwencjonalizuje rzeczywistość (nie tylko) malarską.
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October 15, 20234/5
πολύ ενδιαφέρον, σίγουρα θα το ψάξω περισσότερο
αφήνω αυτό εδώ
as for the scandalous oscar wilde, who refused to sit for toulouse-lautrec, he appears - in a portrait done from memory - as a bloated monster with a pretentious and sour gaze: the artist has taken his revenge for the writer's churlish refusal
πολύ ενδιαφέρον, σίγουρα θα το ψάξω περισσότερο
αφήνω αυτό εδώ
as for the scandalous oscar wilde, who refused to sit for toulouse-lautrec, he appears - in a portrait done from memory - as a bloated monster with a pretentious and sour gaze: the artist has taken his revenge for the writer's churlish refusal
November 17, 2015
A nice introduction to the life and works of French artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Author Matthias Arnold provides an overview that's broad without being overwhelming.
Toulouse-Lautrec was born to an incestuous family of note in southern France, and those roots provided him with artistic training and resources as well as a host of physical abnormalities, including a frail, shrunken body. His lithography posters advertising Parisian singers and dancers for venues like the Moulin Rouge made him famous, and they're wonderful as reproduced here: striking blocks of color and form. The artist also worked in paints, covering subjects from friends and family to the intimate life of prostitutes in evocative, often hastily sketched forms. The paintings convey a real power of observation, and they still feel vibrant today.
Arnold does a good job presenting Toulouse-Lautrec's life and eventual dissipation. The narrative bounds a bit through his career, but his commitment to his calling is evident throughout, even as prodigious drinking undermines the artist near the end. The author doesn't hesitate to share his opinions, and also doesn't always feel the need to provide much support for his categorization of works and artists as good and bad. Still, the point of view isn't overwhelming, and even if I didn't agree that Toulouse-Lautrec's final works were among his best, I enjoyed the pacing and presentation of this volume.
Toulouse-Lautrec was born to an incestuous family of note in southern France, and those roots provided him with artistic training and resources as well as a host of physical abnormalities, including a frail, shrunken body. His lithography posters advertising Parisian singers and dancers for venues like the Moulin Rouge made him famous, and they're wonderful as reproduced here: striking blocks of color and form. The artist also worked in paints, covering subjects from friends and family to the intimate life of prostitutes in evocative, often hastily sketched forms. The paintings convey a real power of observation, and they still feel vibrant today.
Arnold does a good job presenting Toulouse-Lautrec's life and eventual dissipation. The narrative bounds a bit through his career, but his commitment to his calling is evident throughout, even as prodigious drinking undermines the artist near the end. The author doesn't hesitate to share his opinions, and also doesn't always feel the need to provide much support for his categorization of works and artists as good and bad. Still, the point of view isn't overwhelming, and even if I didn't agree that Toulouse-Lautrec's final works were among his best, I enjoyed the pacing and presentation of this volume.
October 18, 2024
In Toulouse-Lautrec, Mathias Arnold embarks on a journey to explore the life, artistry, and cultural milieu of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, a figure whose work not only defined but also immortalized the bohemian spirit of 19th-century Paris. Arnold’s biography, both richly detailed and thoughtfully constructed, offers readers more than just a chronological narrative of the artist’s life; it serves as an intimate portrait of a man whose physical limitations never inhibited his creative genius.
Arnold’s approach is not merely a recounting of Lautrec’s achievements. Instead, it is an invitation to reconsider his art through the lens of the social and emotional forces that shaped it. Born into an aristocratic family but stricken with physical disabilities due to a genetic disorder, Toulouse-Lautrec’s unique perspective as both an insider and outsider in Parisian society permeates his work. Arnold deftly captures this tension, exploring how Lautrec navigated the gritty underbelly of Montmartre’s cafés, brothels, and theaters while remaining a member of the upper class.
The book’s strength lies in its detailed analysis of Lautrec’s artistic evolution. Arnold delves into his early influences, from the realism of Courbet to the innovations of Degas, but the author is at his best when discussing how Lautrec’s work transcends these inspirations. Lautrec’s posters, which often immortalized the cabarets of the Moulin Rouge and other locales, broke from the academic traditions of his time, merging high and low art with a modernist flair. Arnold effectively traces how Lautrec’s bold use of color, stark outlines, and radical cropping of figures reflect not just a new aesthetic direction, but also the artist’s psychological distance from societal norms.
In addition to analyzing his oeuvre, Arnold also provides keen insights into the cultural significance of Lautrec’s subjects. The people he painted—dancers, sex workers, singers—were not only denizens of Parisian nightlife but also symbols of a changing social order. By focusing on these marginalized figures, Arnold argues, Lautrec was commenting on the ephemeral nature of fame, beauty, and human relationships, themes that resonate in contemporary culture.
Yet, Arnold does not shy away from the darker aspects of Lautrec’s life. His battles with alcoholism, the isolation caused by his physical ailments, and his early death at the age of 36 are presented not as mere biographical facts but as crucial elements that shaped the melancholic undertones of his work. Arnold connects Lautrec’s personal struggles with the existential themes in his paintings, suggesting that the artist’s fascination with the transient nature of life, seen in his rapid sketches and fleeting moments of joy captured on canvas, is a reflection of his own mortality.
Perhaps most importantly, Toulouse-Lautrec shines in its contextualization of the artist within the broader art world. Arnold situates Lautrec alongside his contemporaries—such as Van Gogh and Gauguin—but emphasizes his distinct vision, one that was less about spiritual transcendence and more about the raw, physical immediacy of human experience. Lautrec, as Arnold compellingly argues, was not just documenting the nightlife of Paris; he was dissecting the human condition in all its beauty and despair.
Arnold’s prose is as elegant as it is erudite, making Toulouse-Lautrec a pleasure to read for both the casual art enthusiast and the seasoned scholar. The book’s abundant illustrations further enhance the experience, allowing readers to see the works Arnold describes in real time, making his analysis all the more poignant.
Mathias Arnold’s Toulouse-Lautrec is an exceptional exploration of a complex artist who straddled the boundaries of high and low culture. By weaving together biographical detail, art historical context, and keen aesthetic insights, Arnold offers a comprehensive portrait of Toulouse-Lautrec as an artist whose work remains as provocative and relevant today as it was in fin-de-siècle Paris. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the deeper layers of Lautrec’s art and the bohemian world he so vividly depicted.
Arnold’s approach is not merely a recounting of Lautrec’s achievements. Instead, it is an invitation to reconsider his art through the lens of the social and emotional forces that shaped it. Born into an aristocratic family but stricken with physical disabilities due to a genetic disorder, Toulouse-Lautrec’s unique perspective as both an insider and outsider in Parisian society permeates his work. Arnold deftly captures this tension, exploring how Lautrec navigated the gritty underbelly of Montmartre’s cafés, brothels, and theaters while remaining a member of the upper class.
The book’s strength lies in its detailed analysis of Lautrec’s artistic evolution. Arnold delves into his early influences, from the realism of Courbet to the innovations of Degas, but the author is at his best when discussing how Lautrec’s work transcends these inspirations. Lautrec’s posters, which often immortalized the cabarets of the Moulin Rouge and other locales, broke from the academic traditions of his time, merging high and low art with a modernist flair. Arnold effectively traces how Lautrec’s bold use of color, stark outlines, and radical cropping of figures reflect not just a new aesthetic direction, but also the artist’s psychological distance from societal norms.
In addition to analyzing his oeuvre, Arnold also provides keen insights into the cultural significance of Lautrec’s subjects. The people he painted—dancers, sex workers, singers—were not only denizens of Parisian nightlife but also symbols of a changing social order. By focusing on these marginalized figures, Arnold argues, Lautrec was commenting on the ephemeral nature of fame, beauty, and human relationships, themes that resonate in contemporary culture.
Yet, Arnold does not shy away from the darker aspects of Lautrec’s life. His battles with alcoholism, the isolation caused by his physical ailments, and his early death at the age of 36 are presented not as mere biographical facts but as crucial elements that shaped the melancholic undertones of his work. Arnold connects Lautrec’s personal struggles with the existential themes in his paintings, suggesting that the artist’s fascination with the transient nature of life, seen in his rapid sketches and fleeting moments of joy captured on canvas, is a reflection of his own mortality.
Perhaps most importantly, Toulouse-Lautrec shines in its contextualization of the artist within the broader art world. Arnold situates Lautrec alongside his contemporaries—such as Van Gogh and Gauguin—but emphasizes his distinct vision, one that was less about spiritual transcendence and more about the raw, physical immediacy of human experience. Lautrec, as Arnold compellingly argues, was not just documenting the nightlife of Paris; he was dissecting the human condition in all its beauty and despair.
Arnold’s prose is as elegant as it is erudite, making Toulouse-Lautrec a pleasure to read for both the casual art enthusiast and the seasoned scholar. The book’s abundant illustrations further enhance the experience, allowing readers to see the works Arnold describes in real time, making his analysis all the more poignant.
Mathias Arnold’s Toulouse-Lautrec is an exceptional exploration of a complex artist who straddled the boundaries of high and low culture. By weaving together biographical detail, art historical context, and keen aesthetic insights, Arnold offers a comprehensive portrait of Toulouse-Lautrec as an artist whose work remains as provocative and relevant today as it was in fin-de-siècle Paris. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the deeper layers of Lautrec’s art and the bohemian world he so vividly depicted.
April 21, 2018
I read an excerpt from this book in a feed I get from Delancey each day--a bit of non-fiction. The only place I could find the volume was Better World Books so I bought it for $3.98. It's worth far more! Toulouse-Lautrec's life was unusual and sad. The book had full color reproductions on each page. I wish (small complaint!) that the words went with the photos better so that I wasn't always paging back and forth.
I like to read books that send me out for more research. Albi, France is where TL was born and where there is a musuem for his work. Most of the reproductions were from that museum. The town itself is a World Heritage site.
I like to read books that send me out for more research. Albi, France is where TL was born and where there is a musuem for his work. Most of the reproductions were from that museum. The town itself is a World Heritage site.
September 10, 2025
Another excellent art book. Lots of excellent paintings, most of which I'd never seen. Helpful and analytical accompanying narrative which gives a good sense of the work and helps understand the artist's evolution. Apparently TL was 5'1 and died early without fame.
Great paintings and posters of the Moulin Rouge; also some vibrant pictures of jockeys and French aristocracy. Toulouse-Lautrec is underrated.
Great paintings and posters of the Moulin Rouge; also some vibrant pictures of jockeys and French aristocracy. Toulouse-Lautrec is underrated.
November 7, 2025
I have to say with this one I’m a little bit biased because this is on my favorite artist I would also have to mitt that his relationship with women was not always the best so I do think that affected some of his work I wish it would’ve gotten more into his life and it showing more of his work but if you are looking to introduce yourself to this artist this is actually a pretty good book to start with
February 1, 2025
4.25/4.5 A concise summary of the Toulouse Lautrec’s life, touching on his outlook, virtuosity, and suffering. Neglecting a bit of his romantic affair(s), the author does an excellent job of humanizing and doing justice to Toulouse’s work and influence on later generations/movements of art.
May 26, 2020
My first step into Taschen's Basic Art series, and a fantastic overview - albeit occasionally missing pieces of art I'd have been quite keen to see.
October 14, 2020
great apart from the occasional weirdly sexist descriptions of women subjects
April 23, 2021
Más allá de que sea una monografía bastante corta e introductoria, creo que le falta precisión e información básica.
September 22, 2023
Toulouse-Lautrec's artwork is absolutely captivating! His use of vibrant colors and unique perspectives brings his subjects to life. It's definitely worth exploring his masterpieces!
April 7, 2023
A passionate walkway through the life of one of the few artists that can be truly considered ahead of their own time. The Art Basic series by Taschen always reaches expectations. It is a great monographic to start reading about the artist.
May 16, 2007
Moulin Rouge! Small but well-versed survey of the artist's work. Another great Taschen book.
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February 8, 20091966 small
October 9, 2012
Very much enjoyed his volume. Biographical information, background as to his influences and comparisons, and a pretty good amount of things included from his sketchbooks, which I always enjoy.
April 1, 2017
Wie (fast) immer in der Kleinen Reihe Kunst vom Taschen Verlag eine kurze und kompetente Einführung in das Werk eines Künstklers, hier Toulouse-Lautrec. Autor Matthias Arnold scheint ein großer Verehrer seines Werkes zu sein und hält damit nicht hinterm Berg. Das geht natürlich zu Ungunsten der Objektivität, aber macht das Buch umso lesenswerter.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews