Museum of Fine Arts
Exhibition Research Guide
Prepared by Erin Boyle
December 7, 2015
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| At the Moulin Rouge ©Art Institute of Chicago |
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was a French artist known for his theatrical themed paintings, prints and drawings depicting La Belle Epoque, or, the Golden Age, of Paris. Toulouse-Lautrec gained a significant reputation due to his noble background and for his relationship with the Moulin-Rouge cabaret and the bohemian scene of Montmartre in the 18th arrondissement in Paris. One of his favorite subjects to feature in his work was Jane Avril, a quiet and eccentric dancer whom he befriended in Paris, a woman who very much embodied the emotion and feeling of the time.
The exhibition Toulouse-Lautrec and Jane Avril: Beyond the Moulin Rouge comes to us from its creation at The Courtald Gallery in London, and focuses on the relationship between Toulouse-Lautrec and Jane Avril. These two individuals were key figures in the bohemian movement in France and Avril's influence is seen throughout Toulouse-Lautrec's work. The following resources have been arranged to help you with your tours and touch on both Toulouse-Lautrec and Jane Avril as well as the Moulin Rouge and other relevant themes of the time period.
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| Jane Avril au Jardin du Paris 1893 © Museum of Modern Art, New York |
Specific Exhibition Information
Exhibition Information from The Courtald Gallery - General explanation of the exhibition from the Courtald Gallery. It is best to start with this information to properly acquaint yourself with the exhibition. It gives you a good starting point before moving into some of the other, less surface based content. This information, as well as the three YouTube videos from the Courtald Gallery below, is integral to the understanding of this exhibition.- Exhibition Introduction - This video was made to give a visual introduction to the exhibition and includes many images of pieces traveling here. Dr. Nancy Ireson, exhibition curator, speaks about the exhibition and gives a brief background of it.
- The Moulin Rouge - This video gives an idea of what the Moulin Rouge was like during the age of Toulouse-Lautrec and Jane Avril. Dr. Ireson presents a look into the times with the assistance of two of Toulouse-Lautrec's paintings in the exhibition.
- Jane Avril in Public and Private - This video examines how Toulouse-Lautrec viewed Jane in the public and private sectors of her life.
Review of the Exhibition from The Telegraph - Take this information in stride as it is from a newspaper and while the authors may have collaborated with the curators, they have presented some un-cited research. Nevertheless, this article provides an interesting look at the way those outside of the art world view the exhibition.
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
MFAs Toulouse-Lautrec Holdings - We have a decent collection of Toulouse-Lautrec works and you should look through them as many may make an appearance due to the coming exhibition. Many are not digitized but it would be worth your while to review what we have.
Catalogue Raisonné for Toulouse-Lautrec - A catalogue raisonné is a comprehensive list of an artists' complete works, generally with in depth description and images of the works, as well as annotated entries about each piece. The first catalogue raisonné for Toulouse-Lautrec's lithographs was published by Loys Delteil in 1906, five years after Toulouse-Lautrec's death. This is a digitized version of the original from the Boston Public Library. It is entirely in French, but includes grayscale images of each of Toulouse-Lautrec's prints, so it provides those unfamiliar with his work an idea of his style. Be aware, however, that many of his prints are beautifully colored and this catalogue does not represent that.
Toulouse-Lautrec: Challenging the Myth - This is a wonderful article written by Toulouse-Lautrec scholar Richard Thomson of the University of Edinburgh. This article challenges misconceptions about Toulouse-Lautrec and presents a nice background of the artist while also setting the scene of Toulouse-Lautrec's Paris.
Jane Avril and her Craft
Jane Avril of the Moulin Rouge - This is an older item, published in 1954 by Jose Shercliff, but a good one nonetheless. This text focuses on Jane Avril and her life, specifically how she turned to dance in the face of mental illness and embraced her unique qualities, both of which made her into an influential woman in La Belle Epoque Paris. This text is available at the William Morris Hunt Memorial Library, the MFA art library across the street from Symphony Hall. The library is open to the public on weekdays from 1-5. The link leads you to the listing for the book in the library's online catalogue.
The History of the Cancan - This video, produced by CBS goes into the history of the cancan, the popular dance performed in cabarets and dance halls like the Moulin Rouge by dancers like Jane Avril. The video is a bit silly but contains some good information about how and why the dance became popular and indicative of the time.
- Call number - NC248.T63 S54 1954.
Henri Toulouse-Lautrec 'Jane Avril' 1899 - Video hosted on YouTube made by the National Gallery of Australia. This video focuses on Toulouse-Lautrec's last lithograph of Jane Avril.
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| Jane Avril ©Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris |
The Moulin Rouge
Toulouse-Lautrec: Paris and the Moulin Rouge - Another YouTube video made by the National Gallery of Australia. The video is 11 minutes long and the link starts it at 7:04, the part which is most relevant to the exhibition. However, the rest of the video explores Toulouse-Lautrec's style, including his early work and influences and is definitely worth watching, especially if you would like to have a good introduction to his early life. The progression of Toulouse-Lautrec's work is interesting and would definitely provide you with more insight as to how his surroundings influenced him.
Toulouse-Lautrec and La Vie Moderne: Paris 1880-1910 - Exhibition catalogue for a traveling exhibition consisting of 185 works from private Dutch collectors. This catalogue includes not only works by Toulouse-Lautrec, but also works by his peers such as Paul Gaugin, Georges Seurat, and Vincent van Gogh, all whom challenged the strict codes of L'Academie. These avant-garde artists influenced each other while interpreting a colorful, hard to define society. This book is available for in library use at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square. Simply go to the Fine Arts Department on the 3rd floor in the McKim building and ask a librarian for assistance. The link leads to the listing for the text in the BPL's online catalogue.
- Call number - N6853.T6 A4 2013x
- Call number - NX549.P2 S67 1996
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