The Charming Work of Toulouse-Lautrec is on Display at the Milwaukee Art Museum
posted on 18 January 2011 | posted in
Arts and Entertainment
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec has long been one of my favorite artists. His influence on Post-Impressionism and the Art Nouveau movement can’t be overstated - indeed such impressionism even paved the way to the likes of modern forms of impressionism like graffiti art. Therefore, I was delighted when I was able to visit the Milwaukee Art Museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The museum hosts several very fine examples of Lautrec’s work. Perhaps most interesting is the fact that the collection spans such a wide variety of pieces. Many of these were donations to the museum’s collection on behalf of Mrs. Harry Lynde Bradley, and they therefore have been wonderfully preserved. For instance, the 1892 piece “Reine de Joie” is a lithograph in color that clearly shows the physical deformities that make the paintings of Toulouse-Lautrec, and post-impressionist artists in general, so charming. It features a pair of mismatched individuals sharing a kiss, along with the creative letterforms that typify the text on his work. The fact that many of his pieces were designed as posters also adds a level of charm. After all, it gives an interesting insight into the people of the times.
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