Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec - an exaggerated contribution to the modern poster?In 1896 poster art was in its extreme early stages of development and the master of this form was Jules Cheret. He began drawing his pictures directly on to the lithographic stone right after the mechanical presses were invented. This is the first time in history that these images could be produced so abundantly and cheaply that Cheret’s posters populated streets corners of Paris like our Starbucks in every conceivable spot.
For Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec the timing of this lithographic marvel couldn’t have been more perfect. Henry’s reasons for preferring to use the medium of the poster go back to his family’s disregard for his chosen profession. Given the habit he inherited from his father to show off, what better to attract the attention of the public’s eye? The poster was that perfect–in your face medium–that accomplished these goals.
The initial master of lithographs was Jules Cheret. History books have often overlooked his contribution to the development of the early lithographic poster. Oddly enough, Cheret had been given the first commission for the Moulin Rouge when it opened in 1889, but his pretty approach with circus riders on donkeys (previous page) was not a successful brand for the nightclub–somewhat invested in the acceptable debauchery at the time. While Henry has gone on record as an admirer of Cheret’s efforts, only a few months later it was Cheret who would proclaim, “Lautrec is a master!”
Graphic design art historian Phillip Meggs raised an important question on how we might have overlooked Lautec’s contemporaries and their contributions in his article Toulouse Latrec: Superb but Not Alone. He asks the question- ”Was Henri Toulouse-Lautrec the guru of the modern poster as some art history books would have us believe? Or was he the quick sketch artist storming into the print shop with a hangover and using his brilliant gifts as a draftsman to bang out posters?” - AIGA Journal of Graphic Design Vol.4, No. 2, 1986
I think Lautrec was the guru of the modern poster. I think it is his style that may have thrown some people off as to whether or not he has the skill as an artist to deserve the credit he gets. His posters do seem as if they were quickly sketched without the depth and form of Jules Cheret, but personally it think it was for good reason, and if not purposeful I think his posters "worked" better than Cheret's. In a time when fine artist were designers I can see how Lautrec's style could be mistaken as unskillful or wrong. Lautrec's style is more simple, iconic, subjective, and universal. Because of these traits I find Lautrec's style very memorable, more memorable than Cheret's. Design is more than just how closely you can replicate an image, its how you can capture the attention of an audience and make it stick with them. I think Lactrec's style was perfect for poster design and any design for that matter.
ReplyDeleteHenri Toulouse-Lautrec is remembered as one of the greatest graphic designers to ever live. His Moulin Rouge posters were plastered throughout French cities and his paintings are to this day beloved by many. Unfortunately, Lautrec's lifestyle while alive has been known to cause some people to lose some respect for him as an artist, and as a person. His tendency to drink heavily and go to clubs and brothels every night gives off the impression that he was not entirely focused and dedicated to his artwork. A look back at his life, however, may persuade those some to judge otherwise.
ReplyDeleteLautrec was born to an aristocratic family in France in the mid 19th century. His family would later become very dissapproving of his chosen carreer path. He was the product of many years of inbreeding, causing him to have several health issues. One such issue was the inability for his bones to heal properly, and when he broke his leg as a child it ceased to grow normally. Being dwarfed for life, Lautrec eventually learned to use this abnormality to his advantage. He used his uniqueness as a way to gain attention and fame. He became the king of self-promotion, and from this, picked up many invaluable advertising techniques.
Later, when Lautrec found a home in Montmartre, he became drawn to the countless clubs and cafes that lined every street in the city. He became a heavy drinker, perhaps using alcohol as a way to numb the painful memories of his life, and harsh feelings he had about himself. Known to have been drunk most every night, Lautrec began to lose some of the respect he had worked so hard to achieve. Most, however, remained entranced by his astonishing designs.
Lautrec eventually started drawing inspiration from his new club lifestyle and designed images based on what he saw in his life. This fact alone shows that his artwork was always on his mind. He was very dedicated to finding new ways of creating something amazing, taking inspiration from the prevalent Japanese prints of the time as well. He was also a huge admirer of Cheret, another very famous graphic designer of the time period. Cheret, in turn, claimed that Lautrec was a master of design. Were Lautrec not fully focused and dedicated to his work, Cheret would not have praised his adversary so. Nor would Lautrec's famous posters be as magaical as they are. Someone who was as obsessed with fame and attention as Lautrec was would not take the reson for their fame lightly. They would instead do all that they could to improve upon it in order to keep their name in the spotlight.
-Alexandra Borchert
Henri Toulous-Lautrec was a very talented designer. He brought aspects to the poster world that no one had before: flat planes, black-silhouettes, simple ovals for lanterns, along with others. He formed expressive and communicative images that simplified shapes and dynamic spatial relationships (Meggs, 202). Lautrec was a guru of modern posters. He loved to paint and draw especially after his life changing accident that broke both of his hips. An accident of that magnitude creates a lot of anger which is why people might have thought he was drunk a lot and just used his talent to bang out posters. The facts disprove that point. Toulouse-Lautrec only produced 31 posters, very good ones in fact. He made them because he enjoyed figuring out new ways to catch people's attention with his art. As Meggs points out in his textbook, Lautrec usually worked from memory and didn't use sketches. He was creative and simple in his painting tools considering he used an old toothbrush for painting effects. Toulouse-Lautrec was a very talented man who learned how to focus his energy from not being able to walk to painting milestone posters. He led the poster world to the modern posters we have today.
ReplyDeleteI just saw an incredible Jules Cheret poster at the MOMA on a field trip with students from the Pennsylvania College of Art and Design. The vibrance of color in his painting–he had a way of splattering and layering in the process–can only be understood when viewed in person. Reproductions in textbooks just don't do him justice. The show on design history covers so many of the movements we touch on in class, that it might make sense if you are in the NY area to check out . . . gas up the car, and load up some coolers, it will be a great experience! -K
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ReplyDeleteStockton Folks- Remember to check the COMMENT AS box . . . Google Account or Name URL, etc, . . . it's a drop down dialog box
ReplyDeleteLautrec's lifestyle was essential to his art. It was his insight of the general public, and even the lower class, that helped make his art so popular. His posters had appeal because he understood his audience. The Paris night life was wild and energetic and that is reflected in his work. His posters had authenticity. His use of line conveys energy and emotion not usually found in such flat figures. Lautrec earned his high regard pushing limits and being innovative in his design.
ReplyDeleteHenri Toulouse-Lautrec's work is definately different than most artists from the post-impressionist era. I personally don't really like how most of his work turned out. I am most likely the minority with my opinion, but to me most of his work does seem to be like a rough sketch with not a lot of symmetry in his lines. Obviously this does not mean that his work is not art, but it just doesn't appeal to my liking. I believe that most of the hype that surrounded Henri Toulouse-Lautrec was because of how strange of an individual he was. He seemed to create a lot of hysteria in the public eye during this time period, possibly making his work more sought after. During this time period I am more a fan of Alfons Mucha's work. That Job cigarette advertisment is brilliant in my eyes. The woman's hair is done in such a cool and sultry way that it is hard to replicate. If Henri Toulouse-Lautrec was more of a quiet and reserved type of artist I'm not sure how much attention his work would have gotten during the post impressionist era. Overall, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec has a decent amount of talent in my eyes, certainly more than I possess in the field of art, but his bizarre antics may have hyped his work up, which in turn created more demand in the marketplace for his work.
ReplyDeleteToulouse-Lautrec in many people’s eyes was the guru of the modern poster but some feel that this idea may be untrue and over-emphasized, and his skills were that of a quick sketch artist using his gift to quickly create posters. Although this idea can be argued either way, there is no clear cut answer to define him.
ReplyDeleteLautrec often created posters to advertise for cabaret’s, by using images of scantily clad women dancing or acting provocatively. In the form of advertising, he is using the basic marketing idea of sex sells to attract customers. Although Lautrec uses this idea to promote the business he does it somewhat subtly by not fully showing what the business does and never mentioning sex. This idea of using the poster as a form of advertising makes Lautrec the guru of the modern poster because today posters are supposed to utilize the small amount of available space to influence the consumer to choose that product over the next one.
Lautrec’s work can make him seem to be a quick sketch artist using his skills to “bang out” posters. His posters were very basic using a small amount of variation in color and commonly not showing dimension in figures. These posters easily could have been done quickly by Lautrec because of their simplicity but the ideas that he used still took thought. In the piece “Jane Avril” the position of the instrument player and the perspective of the piece was unique and well thought out. Also in this piece the idea of sex sells was utilized promoting the cabaret, but never mentioned sex in words or in images.
Lautrec will always be recognized by the art community for the work he has produced in his short span as an artist. Although his ideas can be considered simplistic and mass produced, the intention of the work fit the purpose. Lautrec is the guru of the modern poster using art as advertising, which is the use of the modern poster.
Hello professor! Im not sure if you wanted the essays posted on here, but I checked on the syllabus and couldnt find your email, so here it is!
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Henri Toulouse-Lautrec was certainly one of the leading pioneers of the Art Nouveau movement that was sweeping through Europe in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Toulouse-Lautrec was able to build upon fellow Frenchman Jules Cheret’s use of the poster – an increasingly abundant and effective artistic medium – to gain exposure and recognition for the brilliant new style he helped bring to the world. Although he did have his share of difficulties in life, he should be recognized as one of the great “art gurus” to emerge from this movement.
Granted, Cheret was the artist who began working with posters artistically in the 1860’s; and it is he who is often referred to as the “father of the modern poster.” Yet it was Lautrec who actively sought out ways to get these new pieces of artwork out to the masses. His use of billboards to promote his image and work really took the poster-art movement and moved it into the mainstream. Soon images portraying the “whiplash curve”, rust colored hues, and organic flow of Lautrec’s work were seen everywhere on the streets of Europe.
As a child, Lautrec’s family life was not as supportive as it could have been. He was the firstborn of two aristocratic parents, born in the year 1864. A younger brother was born in 1867 but died a year later. Lautrec’s parents divorced following the death of his brother and he left to live with his mother. It was during this time in which his talent in drawing and painting was discovered. Henri suffered from a number of health conditions attributed to a tradition of inbreeding in his family. At the age of 13 Henri fractured his right thigh bone, and at 14, the left. The breaks did not heal properly. Because of this his legs stopped growing and Lautrec only reached a height of about five feet tall by the time he was an adult. Being physically unable to participate in activities enjoyed by men of his age, Lautrec became immersed in his artwork. It was also said that his father was not nearly as supportive of his son’s artistic ambitions as his mother was. Many have speculated that many of these (at times) harsh experiences in his early life lead Lautrec to actively seek to gain so much public attention for his works.
Sadly, all the fame and exposure took a heavy toll on Henri Toulouse-Lautrec. He was often mocked for his short stature and physical appearance in public, and it really affected his psyche. This eventually led him to drown his sorrows in alcohol. It is said that his drinking habits became so out of control that he hosted parties at his estate every Friday night for wine and cocktail tastings. Soon his family and friends observed the toll his alcoholism was taking and had Lautrec briefly institutionalized before his death in 1901 at the young age of 36.
Although Henri Toulouse-Lautrec was in fact plagued by some personal problems later in his life, he still managed to build upon and really perfect the art of the poster. In many ways he drew from the work of Jules Cheret but he was the one who mass-marketed the style of poster art to the masses. This is why Lautrec should be viewed as one of the true heroes of the Art Nouveau movement, rather than a drunk sketch artist scamming others around him.
Henri Toulouse-Lautrec is remembered as one of the greatest graphic designers to ever live. His Moulin Rouge posters were once plastered throughout French cities and his paintings are to this day beloved by many. Unfortunately, Lautrec's lifestyle while alive has been known to cause many people to lose some respect for him as an artist, and as a person. His tendency to drink heavily and go to clubs and brothels every night gives off the impression that he was not entirely focused and dedicated to his artwork. A look back at his life, however, may persuade some to judge otherwise.
ReplyDeleteLautrec was born into an aristocratic family in France in the mid 19th century. His family would later be very dissapproving of his chosen career path. He was the product of many years of inbreeding, causing him to have several health issues. One such issue was the inability for his bones to heal properly, and when he broke his leg as a child it ceased to grow. Being dwarfed for life, Lautrec eventually learned to use his abnormality to his advantage. He used his uniqueness as a way to gain public attention and fame. He became the king of self-promotion, and from this, picked up many invaluable advertising techniques. Being so determined to overcome these trials supports the belief that Lautrec was in fact extremely dedicated to his chosen field. He refused to let anything tame him or keep him from becoming a famous artist.
Later, when Lautrec found a home in Montmartre, he became drawn to the countless clubs and cafes that lined every street in the city. He became a heavy drinker, perhaps using alcohol as a way to numb the painful memories of his life, and the harsh feelings he may have had about himself. Known to have been drunk most every night, Lautrec began to lose some of the respect he had worked so hard to achieve. Most, however, remained entranced by his astonishing designs.
Lautrec eventually started drawing inspiration from his new club lifestyle and designed images based on what he saw in his life. This fact alone shows that his artwork was always on his mind. He was very dedicated to finding new ways to create something amazing, taking inspiration from the prevalent Japanese prints of the time as well. He was also a huge admirer of Cheret, another very famous graphic designer of the time period. Cheret, in turn, claimed that Lautrec was a master of design in his own right. Were Lautrec not fully focused and dedicated to his work, Cheret would not have praised his adversary so. Nor would Lautrec's famous posters be as magical as they are still considered to be today.
I believe that Henry de Toulous-Lautrec was a guru of the modern poster. Although Henry admired Cheret, Cheret had even said that Lautrec was a master. Lautrec may have had an adiction for the luxurious life by surrounding himself with prostitutes and alcohol but he had an incredible ability to create stunning art. He used women as his central focal point on many of his posters and they did just the advertising job. He also created great works that centered around the circus and this was done during his time in an asylum to prove his sanity. He may have been a wild one and loved the attention that he recieved for his art but he did infact have an artistic gift, which people still believe are works of art.
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ReplyDeleteLiz Davis
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In my opinion, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec was the guru of the modern poster as some art history books would have us believe. “Toulouse-Lautrec had turned obsessively into drawing and painting after breaking both his hips in an accident at age thirteen” (Meggs 202). From this statement, I was able to see that Lautrec had seriously concentrated on his work and took what he was working on very seriously. Since he was unable to play any sports, like most young boys did at thirteen, he filled his free time with painting. I think for critics to say that he was a “quick sketch artist storming into the print shop with a hangover” would give him very little credit and could potentially cause admires of his work to think less of him. According to Meggs, “Toulouse-Latrec produced only thirty one posters” (Meggs 203). If he had been just a quick sketch artist, he would have produced more posters. Since he produced such a small amount of posters, this shows that he took into careful consideration of what exactly he wanted his posters to portray.
Once again, I feel that if he was the “guru of modern poster”. His poster know as “La Goulu au Moulin Rouge” captured the time period and what people thought of as the typical dancer of the time. According to Meggs, Lautrec’s poster was a “milestone in poster design” (Meggs 202). Therefore, for people to say that he was a guru would lead us to believe that his posters weren’t as influential as they were. Latrec’s work is still discussed and admired today.
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was a famous graphic artist during the Art
ReplyDeleteNouveau period. He was a very unique artist not only from his work but
also for the fact that he was an adult crippled with child built legs. This was due to him breaking both his hips stunting any further growth of his legs. This disability led to the development of the two aspects of his life that he is most remembered by, his alcoholism and his artwork. Most art history books refer to him as being a guru of the modern poster (Meggs). However, his excessive alcoholism creates another possible portrayal of his legacy. Instead of a well-known guru others may believe of him as just a quick sketch artist storming into the print shop with a hangover and using his brilliant gifts as a draftsman to bang out posters (Meggs).
Henri Toulouse-Lautrec was a drawer, painter, printmaker, and a draftsman. All this artistic skills that he possessed contributed to all the productions of his 31 posters. Even though he would mostly be seen constantly sketching he had the ability to work from memory without any sketches at all. This skill led Henri-Toulouse Lautrec in the direction of being a guru in the field of creating posters. He was able to have simple shapes become symbols, for instance in the Moulin Rouge poster there were oval shapes that represented lamps. Along with simple representing shapes he produced gestural expressive and stylized curvilinear drawings.
Art and alcohol were what he devoted the majority of his time and energy to; he was either doing one or both daily. Alcohol may have been a leading factor in the posters he created, but even so made his posters work well. He could of used a point of view of being under the influence of alcohol as an inspiration to creating his work. Without the alcohol Henri-Toulouse Lautrec is no doubt a fantastic artist who still as of today is an inspiration to others. He might be remembered as being an alcoholic artist, but he still is remembered by his work and really that is all that matters is still having viewers even after death. Henri Toulouse Lautrec is a well-known guru who might of just so happened to be hung over.
Henri de Toulouse Lautrec was an artist in Paris during the late 1800's. He was inspired by Jules Cheret and worked with marvel, doing lithography. I believe he was a young artist who had talent. As soon as the poster era took a great hit, jumped right on following. I feel he started art for popularity and money. I wouldnt necessarily say he was someone to not care but had talent. I do believe he didn't want to pursue this career until he realized people loved his work and the popularity that it gave him. As a young man I'm sure he just wanted money and fame. He was smart enough to follow Jules Cheret, so why not give him credit. His idea's and bright colors drew people's attention. I do think Lautrec was young and didnt care too much as long as he was famous. This is probably why he had a drinking problem and died from a stroke. You can't judge someone when there making artwork that has the audiences attention. Just because Jules Cheret was the "one to start it all" doesn't mean Lautrec can't come in and perfect it. People are too quick to judge someone when if anything they should just judge the artwork because that's how they even know of him.
ReplyDeleteHenri de Toulouse-Lautrec was a brilliant artist, as well as the father of the modern poster and the master of its design. Lautrec used his inspirations from Japanese art, impressionism, and Degas’s detail and contour and placed it into his works. By haunting the local Paris cabarets and bordellos, he developed a journalistic illustrative style that captured the night life via drawings and watching at these local night clubs. Lautrec was the guru of the modern poster because he didn’t come up with an idea before he painted or drew on the lithographic stone. Lautrec committed all his work from memory, there was no sketches used and he used an old toothbrush to achieve tonal effects through a splatter technique. Even the so called master of the poster, Jules Cheret claimed to say “Lautrec is a master.”
ReplyDeleteI feel if Henri Toulouse-Lautrec was just a "sketch artist" he would have been forgotten long ago along with his work. Is he the guru of the modern poster? I don't know, I don't know enough about the subject yet. It's clear that if we are viewing his work over 100 years later then he's more than just a sketch artist. His work seems to set the bar for the Art Nouveau movement.
ReplyDeleteAnother opinion I have is that if Lautrec was just a sketch artist, he would have given it up like his parents wanted. It takes real passion to disobey your parents and follow your heart, especially in that era. I believe he was definitely an amazing artist who really made his mark on the Art Nouveau movement.
-Eric Bergman
I feel if Henri Toulouse-Lautrec was just a "sketch artist" he would have been forgotten long ago along with his work. Is he the guru of the modern poster? I don't know, I don't know enough about the subject yet. It's clear that if we are viewing his work over 100 years later then he's more than just a sketch artist. His work seems to set the bar for the Art Nouveau movement.
ReplyDeleteAnother opinion I have is that if Lautrec was just a sketch artist, he would have given it up like his parents wanted. It takes real passion to disobey your parents and follow your heart, especially in that era. I believe he was definitely an amazing artist who really made his mark on the Art Nouveau movement.
-Eric Bergman
Stephanie Werner
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Tuesday/Thursday 6-7:50 pm
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was the guru of the modern poster as some art history books have us believe. He was not the quick sketch artist that stormed into the print shop with a hangover and used his brilliant gifts as a draftsman to bang out posters. When you look at his posters, you can see the detail that is put into them. That can only be done with time. His work would pop out at you when you looked at it. Jules Cheret stated himself that Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was a master after Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec said he was an admirer of Jules Cheret.
Even though Jules Cheret was the initial master of the lithograph, history has often overlooked his contribution to the development of the early lithographic poster. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was not an exaggerated contribution to the modern poster. He carved the way for a lot of upcoming graphic designers. He was a huge painter of the Post-Impressionist period. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec created737 canvases, 275 watercolors, 363 prints and posters, 5,084 drawings, some ceramic and stained glass work, and an unknown number of lost works. His works are described as drawings on colored paint. There is a lot of detail in his works and it is hard to imagine him as being a quick sketch artist that stormed into the print shop with a hangover and used his brilliant gifts as a draftsman to bang out posters.
Justin Block
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Due: Sept.27 2010
Professor Kevin Myers
Toulouse Lautrec
I think Lautrec was the guru of the modern poster. I think it is his style that may have thrown some people off as to whether or not he has the skill as an artist to deserve the credit he gets. His posters do seem as if they were quickly sketched without the depth and form of Jules Cheret, but personally it think it was for good reason, and if not purposeful I think his posters "worked" better than Cheret's.
In a time when fine artist were designers I can see how Lautrec's poster designs could be mistaken as unskillful or wrong. Lautrec's poster style is more simple, iconic, subjective, and universal. Because of these traits I find Lautrec's style very memorable, more memorable than Cheret's. Cheret’s style more closely represents a painterly image with more depth and color combinations. It’s not that Lautrec couldn’t paint either. Lautrec’s paintings are amazing and I don’t think it would be hard for him to bring his painterly style into his posters. I think he purposefully decided to use simply flat colors and shapes so his posters would receive the public’s reactions in the amount of time they have when they walk by them.
Design is more than just how closely you can replicate an image, its how you can capture the attention of an audience and make it stick with them. I think Lactrec's style was perfect for poster design and any design for that matter.
Ignore the first draft I sent you. I had misunderstood the assignment. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteHenri Lautrec and Jules Cheret both contributed a great deal to the development of the poster and advertisement. They were both masters but in different ways. Each had a unique style that artists today can reflect back on and appreciate. A good example to compare these two artists’ differences would be to look at their individual posters for Moulin Rouge. Both of their posters for Moulin Rouge were eye catching and could entice audiences, but for different reasons.
Lautrec’s lifestyle was essential to his art; it gave him a unique perception of the world at the time. It was his insight of the general public, and even the lower class, that helped make his art so popular. In his poster for Moulin Rouge he drew from experience keeping his colors simple and using silhouettes to capture and portray the almost mysterious quality of Moulin Rouge. His images show movement and hint at sexuality with skirts twirling, almost revealing the female figures underneath. His posters had appeal because he understood his audience. The Paris night life was wild and energetic and that is reflected in his work. His posters had authenticity.
Jules Cheret’s posters had a liveliness to them that gave them a joyful quality. His use of vibrant colors was not only visually stimulating but served to reinforce the “goodness” of Moulin Rouge. Cheret’s poster of smiling dancers posed gracefully atop donkeys produced a more innocent image of Moulin Rouge than Lautrec’s poster. Cheret was known for his images of women, they were confident and charming but not overly sexualized or subdued. Over time, there even became a term for women with these qualities; they came to be known as “cherettes”. Women who were unafraid of taboos such as wearing low cut blouses or smoking in public.
Both of these influential artists revealed in their art their own unique perception of the world. Cheret portrays the joy of good times at Moulin Rouge, while it seems Lautrec tried to capture and reveal the club’s darker (and more truthful) nature. Lautrec’s work was more influenced by the culture of the time but I think Cheret’s work actually influenced the culture. That may be the biggest difference between these two artists. However, it would be unfair to not recognize them both as masters since even they referred to each other in the highest regards.
I feel that Henri Toulouse-Lautrec was the guru of the modern poster because he was one of the first artists that took his hardship and used it to his advantage. After breaking both hips in an accident at age thirteen, he turned obsessively to drawing and painting and since further growth of his legs were stunted, he became crippled. Lautrec became a master draftsman and after moving to Paris, fell in love with Japanese art, impressionism, and Degas’s design and contour. Using his skill to draw directly onto lithograph stone, he often worked from memory and used an old toothbrush for a splatter technique. He was known because he self promoted himself and created his own celebrity. Lautrec kept on doing what he loved despite his family disowning him. His use of process and line influenced by flat Japanese art was something that hadn’t been seen before. Lautrec knew how to address the public and did so in a brilliant way, creating posters and advertising pieces. He gave future artists like Andy Warhol, a reason to be self-liberating and self-promoting. During this moment of time, he was using line, solid color, created some very iconic posters and used beautiful movement in his compositions. Lautrec knew what he was doing and did it with precision and sophistication. He wasn’t just some drunkard who used his skill to just bang out posters. Lautrec was a visual documenter, regarded the first graphic designer. He used his art to advertise. For example, his 1891 poster, “La Goulue au Moulin Rouge” broke new ground in poster design by using dynamic pattern of flat planes, black spectator’s silhouettes, yellow ovals for lamps, and the white undergarments of the cancan dancer, move horizontally across the center of the poster. His use of simplified symbolic shapes and dynamic spatial relationships form expressive and communicative images. Since there was no distinction between fine art and commercial art, he was revolutionary in his works and used them to advertise. He gave the public something they hadn’t seen since Art Nouveau was the major movement at the time. Instead Lautrec took certain aspects of Art Nouveau such as organic color, and intensified it a notch by making those colors brighter and taking organic shape and line from Art Nouveau and simplifying it. Therefore, I feel that Henri Toulouse-Lautrec was a great artist one that made a lasting statement with only the creation of thirty-one posters and was the guru of the modern poster.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I love the MOMA! I'm from up north, so whenever I'm home, I frequently venture into New York. I'll try to check out that Jules Cheret poster next time I'm in the city. Thanks for the heads up!
ReplyDeleteThanks to all that participated in posting your essay. If you have been unable to post it could have been because the post limit might have needed to be increased. My bad. Will fix for future assignments. Get me at Stockton or gmail (KevinMyersDesign@gmail.com) if so. ––Kevin
ReplyDeleteComparing the styles of Lautrec and Cheret is like comparing apples and oranges. Looking at pieces for the Moulin Rouge the pieces show similar ideas yet convey the message in a different way.
ReplyDeleteCheret puts the viewer at an angle that gives the feel of a superior, almost unattainable, performance. The subjects are bold and full of life with crisp, sharp lines and a realistic feel. It makes the viewer feel as though the subject is above them, for the elite of society.
Lautrec's style was a more subtle, free flowing piece. The lines were bold, smooth, and full of curves. The subject was at the same level as the viewers, it gave a comfortable, familiar feel to the subject. This gave the audience the impression that all were able to attend and that it was not only for high society. It was for everyone, the people that he had come to be a part of and a voice for.
In my opinion Lautrec was a guru, and well ahead of his time, for making the viewer want to be a part of the experience. Lautrec played to his crowd, and those who wanted to be a part of it.
For Herri de Toulouse-Lautrec was the guru of the modern poster because he was so gifted and was influenced by many artist and time periods, such as Degas and the impressionist. They say his best artwork was around 1892 to 1895. His artwork had synthetic colors, which caught the eyes of most. Lautrec was the guru of modern posters because of his color schemes and his creation of new immediacy in the poster design. His posters for Moulin Rouge are to this today still inspiration to artist now. With his Moulin Rouge posters you could feel the dancers movements because his artwork was so powerful with the colors and movements. You knew he wasn’t just about quick sketching and going into the print shop hung over because his paintings were always detailed with range of hues instead of leaving them colorless. Unfortunately his drinking was a major cause to his early death. As his sickness wore on his you could tell through his art with circuses and dark colors.
ReplyDeleteJules Cheret was also a master of modern posters. He was trained in lithography and then started poster design and printing. His posters were vivid and lively. The most popular posters were the ones of the females dancing freely. He also was known for advertising such as liquors, perfumes, soaps, and cosmetics. Personally, I enjoy Cheret’s work more because of the vivacious colors and the centering of the picture. Cheret lived a longer life than Herri de Toulouse-Lautrec, which made Cheret have a lot more pieces than Lautrec. They both were very talented artist and have a successful career, especially with their posters.
09.27.2010
ReplyDeleteHistory of Graphic Design
While many people can argue whether or not Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was the guru of the modern poster, one thing is for sure: his style was new and unique and turned a lot of heads. In my opinion, Lautrec’s artwork doesn’t look as though he just banged it out and called it a night. Although he was an alcoholic and many could say that that was what he did, he was an extremely talented artist. Even Jules Cheret agreed that Lautrec was a master. When looking at both artist’s works (Cheret and Lautrec’s), it is easy to differentiate who painted what. Cheret’s work is more realistic, whereas Lautrec’s is simpler, stylized, and abstract – which could be the reason why people that were not used to his style felt as though it took no effort for a drunken man to produce what he called masterpieces.
You can't be a sucessful poster artist for a place like the Moulin ROuge without having a perputual hangover, or at least painting like you have one. As much as we may appreciate the poster as art after the fact these were advertisments first. The strong compostions and typographic forms employed in Cheret's posters will always be appreciated by the critical eye of designers and artists. But it seems Lautrec undrestood the logic of advertising better than many of his contemporaries. Embracing the European vouge for japaneese prints in his flat, stylized lines for his subjects and their scenes of debauchery made him a more effective designer. This is a kind of intelligence and asthetic sensibility that many critics may frown on, but it's exactly the kind of thinking that capitalized and artists like Lautrec and made the poster the kind of soundboard for emerging talent that we take for granted today.
ReplyDeleteLautrec was a multitalented artist whose work was not only noticed for it's composition but for the lifestyle that was shown through his pieces. I have read that he was known during his time as one of the masters of the modern poster as well as one of the greatest painters of the post-impressionist period. He had a theatrical and risky style that captivated his audience, which is where he differed from Jules Cheret, also a very talented artist who was said to be called "the father of the modern poster". I believe that Lautrec was able to tell more of a story in his posters than Cheret did; I believe a story is ultimately what people want. They are looking for something that can catch their attention, something that has depth. Cheret's posters practically all have the same look and feel throughout most of his works - centered focal point, similar colors, similar composition and textures. Lautrec's poster's vary in texture, style, and composition. Both artist's play a important role in the history of graphic design, but I feel that Lautrec brought more depth, leaving a larger impression to future artists than Cheret did.
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