Toulouse-Lautrec. Light and Shadows of Montmartre

Curator Maria Teresa Benedetti selected more than 150 works from important public and private collections in France and around the world. These include the complete selection of his most important posters as well as painting and drawings. It is the first time that numerous rare first edition prints by the artist are shown in Italy. The exhibition narrative unfolds in five sections. The first is devoted to life in the Montmartre district. The second to the theatre. Section three explores Lautrec’s work as an advertising man. Section four discusses the maisons closes - the brothels - and in particular the 1896 series of 11 prints from the album Elles, which illustrate the daily lives of prostitutes. The final section groups the prints, drawings and enigmatic paintings of subjects that were dear to Lautrec: horses, the circus, meetings and other themes from daily life, many of these produced with drypoint etching technique.