Toulouse-Lautrec's Belle Époque in Milan Exhibition

A major exhibition at Palazzo Reale in Milan explores the life and work of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, focusing on his role as a chronicler of Belle Époque Paris. The show features over ten rooms of works, including lithographs, posters, and the artist's only painted self-portrait. It highlights Lautrec's innovative graphic style, his rejection of academic painting, and his fascination with Montmartre's demi-monde of café-concerts, prostitutes, and cabarets. The exhibition also juxtaposes his works with Japanese prints, such as Utamaro's erotic views, to deepen the reading of his art. Lautrec's self-deprecating humor is evident in photographs taken by friends, where he performs exaggerated scenes, anticipating 20th-century artists like Fraser and Bowery. The show runs at Palazzo Reale, Milan, and was curated by Francesca Mattozzi.