'Toulouse-Lautrec. Lights and shadows of Montmartre'

More than 180 works of the eclectic French artist on display in Pisa

From 16 October 2015 to 14 February 2016

2015 is a really great period for Pisa art exhibitions. At the same time as 'J'écris de Pise', Palazzo Blu houses another eagerly awaited art exhibition: 'Toulouse-Lautrec. Luci ed ombre di Montmartre', more than 180 works, including paintings, drawings and images of the famous painter, a tireless observer of the late 19th century bohemian Parisian and very a significant figure in the art of that period.

Curated by Maria Teresa Benedetti, the Toulouse-Lautrec Exhibition presents to the audience the personal and artistic life of one of the most important European artists of all time: the Count Henrie de Toulouse - Lautrec. The paintings exhibited in Pisa, Italy, coming from public and private valuable international collections, will create a really exciting event consisting of a careful selection of paintings and posters that have become famous throughout the world and numerous lithographs, embellished with original notes and dedications written in pencil by the artist.

Through his paintings, Toulouse-Lautrec was able to masterfully represent the true face of Paris in the late 19th century, such as Paris Montmartre, the Moulin Rouge and the 'maison closes'.
Toulouse-Lautrec exhibition shows a world populated by bizarre characters, sometimes grotesque, which the artist portrays with great intensity, describing their feelings and sharing their joys, sorrows, weaknesses and excesses.

A very important part of the artistic production of Toulouse-Lautrec is made up of lithographs. Between 1891 and 1901, the eclectic artist produced 351, of which at least thirty have become posters known throughout the world, establishing the artist in the Olympus of the great masters.

'Toulouse-Lautrec paintings. Luci e ombre di Montmartre' is the chosen title for this Pisa art exhibition that should not be missed. In the heart of this popular district the artist painted some of his most important works, becoming for everybody the unforgettable 'Soul of Montmartre'.

If you're in Paris and you happen to be nearby, you should know that even today you can to stop and admire the stained glass windows of his old studio!

Lautrec spent most of his life in the brothels of Paris, to study women's bodies and turn them into art, experimenting with new techniques and colours like no one had ever done up to that point. With these important experiments, Toulouse-Lautrec paintings opened the doors to modern art and the use of it as an advertising medium.

There are five sections that make up the Toulouse-Lautrec exhibition in Pisa: the first, entitled 'Le Star - lights and shades of Montamartre' is dedicated to the protagonists of the neighbourhood at that time, and includes the most famous posters produced by the artist such as 'La Goulue', 'Moulin Rouge', 'Yvette Guilbert' and prints dedicated to Aristide Bruant.
In this section there are also some different coloured lithographs and oil paintings on cardboard, like the fantastic 'Femme Assise' made by Lautrec in 1893.

The second section of the exhibition of Toulouse Lautrec paintings in Pisa, "The theatre, the opera and the avant-garde show", is about the world of theatre, loved by the artist.
The Toulouse Lautrec paintings on display in this section depicts not only the actors, but also specific scenes that took place in the corridors of the Parisian theatres, such as in 'La Grande Loge', a coloured lithograph made in 1896 and 'Loge au mascaron dorè', another lithograph dated 1894.

Art as an advertising means is the theme of the third section of the Toulouse Lautrec exhibition in 2015 entitled ' Il Grande Pubblicitario' (The Big Advertising)'. Here you will see on display some famous works by the artist made to promote various objects such as a famous brand of bicycle chains in the 1896 manifesto: 'La Chaîne Simpso', or bright paper confetti in 'Confetti' in 1896, or even a brand of tobacco in the painting 'Soldat anglais fumant la pipe', enigmatic oil on cardboard, dated 1898 from the Toulouse Lautrec Museum in Albi, the birthplace of the great painter.

In the fifth section, entitled 'Maison closes', you can see the lithographic album 'Elles', created in 1896 and dedicated to the world of prostitutes, very popular and loved by Henri Toulouse Lautrec. The exhibition includes, on top of the eleven lithographs that make up the collection, 'Femme se frisant', the cardboard painting of 1891 where the artist portrayed a woman from behind styling her hair, and 'Nu au tab', a portrait of Pierre Bonnard painted in 1903.

The Toulouse Lautrec paintings that make up the last section of the exhibition, 'In the sign. Passions', were made in the final years of his painful life, marked by alcohol abuse and various diseases that affected his health until his death.
In the lithographs and paintings exhibited in this last section, one can capture the incredible versatility of Toulouse Lautrec in representing the most varied themes, from circus clowns to the equestrian world, from amorous encounters to other scenes of everyday life.

In Pisa, the art exhibition of Toulouse-Lautrec paintings is enhanced by a selection of works of so-called Italiens de Paris who, by subject or by style, you were clearly inspired by him.
You can also admire some works by Giovanni Boldini, Pompeo Mariani, Serafino Macchiati and Federico Zandomeneghi: the latter will also be on show with 'Moulin de la Galette', the famous pastel on paper from the Courtesy Priests Gallery of Milan.

To close this magnificent Toulouse Lautrec exhibition in Pisa, there will be a nice set of original menus created by the artist for the occasion of social events in which witty caricatures of the guests appeared and which, at the end of the evening, were kept as witty souvenirs.

During the 2015 Toulouse-Lautrec exhibition, a catalogue has been published by Skira, which collects - for the first time in Italian - the entire graphic work of the artist.

Toulouse-Lautrec exhibition in Pisa: from 16 October 2015 to 14 February 2016 do not miss this fantastic Pisa art exhibition on the French artist who made a significant contribution to the history of art of the late 19th century.

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Moreover, by choosing one of our tour of Pisa, you can experience the thrill of climbing the Leaning Tower of Pisa or take a relaxing walk around the historic centre.

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Toulouse-Lautrec's exhibition: art in Pisa, works and images in the exhibition ' Luci e ombre di Montmartre'

Location: Pisa, Palazzo Blu

Dates: 16 October 2015 to 14 February 2016