Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec is a French painter and printmaker. Best known for his lithographs, he had a huge influence on the modern poster. He came from an aristocratic family, which meant he was able to pursue his passion for art without the pressure of finances. In 1882, he went to Paris, where he studied with renowned academics. However, the artist did not tie his future to academic art - he quickly developed his distinctive line and was far more interested in capturing the 'live' everyday life of Montmartre than in creating studied portraits. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec enjoyed painting scenes from brothels, theatres, cabarets or circuses. It was for the famous Moulin Rouge that the artist produced his first poster. Lautrec had always struggled with health problems - due to genetic defects, he was disproportionately built and suffered from degenerative bones that caused him a lot of pain. The artist was addicted to alcohol and suffered from syphilis. He died extremely young - he was only 36 years old at the time of his death.
