Three Paintings by Lautrec
Laurie Johnson (2006)
Au Cirque Fernando (1887/8)
At the Circus – The Equestrian
This early work from Lautrec was based on his visits with other fashionable young men to the rehearsals for the equine circus which was based just to the north of Montmartre. The circus is still in existence today but as the touring circus “Le Cirque Medrano”.
The picture recalls the works of Degas amongst the ballet dancers at around the same time and places Lautrec securely amongst the impressionists and post-impressionists. Indeed in the winter of 1887 Lautrec was exhibiting alongside Van Gogh in Holland.
Lautrec was very interested not just in the entertainment of the circus but also in the horses themselves. A boy and young man from his background would have been expected to be involved with the equestrian world but as a participant rather than an observer. Lautrec’s father was a renowned hunter and famous for his feats of horsemanship and extravagant clothing. Of course with his medical condition Lautrec was unable to participate and so perhaps his painting of horses was a way of compensation. Indeed amongst his last works while he was dying in the asylum, were over 50 pictures of horses painted from memory.
Fille Jeune aux Cheveux Roux (1888/9)
The Girl with Red Hair
A part of a series of portraits of anonymous women, this portrait is probably of a prostitute from Montmartre. Lautrec abandoned his formal art training in Paris to go and live among the lower elements of society in Montmartre which was also home to artists of all sorts. It is probably based in the garden of M. Forest as with so many others. Again this is evidence of his impressionist tendency – he is painting outside and is particularly interested in the contrast of the colours red and green.
Again he was exhibiting alongside Van Gogh at this time but as can be seen in the sharp “hash mark” style but it is noticeable that his palette is much darker. He was not drawn to the bright sunshine of the south of France but was much more at home in the harsher, darker tones of Paris.
Chocolat Dancing (1896)
Chocolat – Dancing
Lautrec was in great demand as a commercial artist. Obviously he is best known for his posters advertising the nightclubs, bars and celebrities of Montmartre. However, he was also in demand for his lithographs to illustrate popular, humorous weekly papers such as “Le Rire”.
Chocolat was a famous clown who performed in revues in places such as “Le Moulin Rouge” and “Les Folies Bergère”. Originally a Cuban slave he came to great fame with his partner “Footit” in which Chocolat was the victim of his partner’s physical jokes. This however is set in a bar after the show.
The Bar Américain et Irlandais was a down at heel smoky bar frequented by jockeys, trainers and the coachmen of the wealthy gentlemen who were frequenting the local revues. Chocolat would come to unwind following his show and sometimes dance. Lautrec was also a regular frequentee of the bar and other such establishments and was called upon to illustrate what he had seen. Unfortunately, such exposure only served to enflame his difficulties with alcohol and other health issues leading to his early death in1901.
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864-1901)
Toulouse-Lautrec is most famous for his association with posters, lithographs, for being incredibly short and his high living in Paris. However, if one goes beyond the surface one can find an incredibly talented artist who probably deserves to be further up the ranks of the Impressionists and Post-Impressionists with whom he associated.
Born to an aristocratic family he was unable to participate in normal aristocratic pursuits due to the illness which affected his legs and which meant that he did not grow beyond the height of 5 feet. Instead, and somewhat against his families wishes, he followed a career in art, training at Paris formally before drifting into the artistic and social scene of Montmartre. Such a milieu only exacerbated his health problems and he died early as a result of alcoholism and syphilitic infections. His short and dramatic life have tended to detract from his talents as an artist which hopefully the three pictures attached will go some way to redressing.