Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864-1901) became famous for his provocative and theatrical depictions of Parisian nightlife in and around Montmarte. The paintings and graphic works by this French artist have often been interpreted as illustrations of the time period from the turn of the century or, in regards to the circumstances of his selected settings, as works that have becoming increasingly significant because of the lighthearted circumstances in which they were created. From an artistic perspective, the exhibition highlights Toulouse-Lautrec’s unique compositions and focuses on little known facts as well as considering new aspects: the accurate portrayal and depiction of people in modern civilization captured in their public and personal lives. The seventy works on display portray the artist not only as a perceptive observer of these encounters but also portray the perspective of a lone outsider, which presumably stems from his privileged upbringing in the French countryside and dealing with his physical afflictions. Precisely 100 years after the first monographic exhibition of the artist in Austria, and on the occasion of Linz09 as the European Capital of Culture, his works will be presented in context together with such significant contemporaries as Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele.
