It’s probably one of the biggest cultural events for the end of 2019 – over twenty-five years after the previous Parisian retrospective of Toulouse-Lautrec, the Grand Palais has prepared a giant new exhibition about his life and work, with over 200 pieces on display.

If you thought Toulouse-Lautrec’s work was all Montmartre cabarets and women of the night, this new exhibition at the Grand Palais will prove that you’re only half right.

While it’s true that the artist used quite a few ladies of the night as subjects for his paintings, he also had the same reverence for and interest in countesses, dancers, and races (horse races, bike races)…

Presented in twelve themes sections, the exhibition shows how Toulouse-Lautrec used photos as a base for his paintings, explains how his studies in Paris trained him to paint things ‘really, not ideally’, and – obviously – talks of his love of women, all of styles.

In all, 228 works have been collected together, with pieces lent by almost a dozen countries, as well as numerous private and public collections in France.

Linked with the exhibition, there’s:

— a cycle of conferences on Wednesdays,

— a showing of the 1998 French film Lautrec directed by Roger Planchon,

— a cycle of other films at midday on Fridays (Moulin Rouge, French Cancan…),

— a 15-minute live show called Lautrexperience on 24th November, played every 30 minutes between 2.30pm and 6.30pm, and another called ‘Le Scandale de La Gitane‘ on Sunday 26th January at 4pm and 6pm,

— workshops and guided visits,

— and a brand new film accompanying the exhibition (with an English soundtrack) Toulouse-Lautrec, l’insaisissable is available on DVD for 15€, and available to rent on ArteVOD and iTunes starting 13th October.

A catalogue of the exhibition has also just been published (352 pages, 350 illustrations, 45€ here at amazon.fr).

The Toulouse-Lautrec – resolutely modern is at the Grand Palais (here) from 9th October – 27th January 2020

Closed Tuesdays. Open Monday, Thursday and Sunday from 10am-8pm, and Wednesday and weekends from 10am-10pm (hours different during French school holidays – check here)

Admission: 15 € / 11€

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

#ExpoToulouseLautrec

https://www.instagram.com/p/B2ozV4Bg8Nu/

to check out the press release for the exhibition (with some English), simply click the ‘fullscreen’ button at the bottom right of the image below.