An Eye on Art: Toulouse-Lautrec

Henri Toulouse-Lautrec

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was an artist who made a successful career and gained fame as an artist during his own lifetime. Many of his artistic practices started with the fact that he sketched everywhere he went, including musical performances, parks, and cafes. The sketches on display in the Museum’s exhibition showcase different subjects he saw while out sketching, people, animals, etc., and many became the rough drafts for later works. While Toulouse-Lautrec brought his sketchbook everywhere, he was very keen on sketching animals and people rather than objects. Toulouse-Lautrec saw the importance of drafting work and used sketching to do so. By sketching everywhere he went he had many references for creating and crafting his final works of art. He studied the world around him, honing his observational eye, making him all the better artist — and now celebrated master — as a result.

Cavaliers (riders)

1879

Pencil drawing


Observe

  • What are some common places you find yourself in on a daily basis?

  • If you carried a sketchbook everyday like Toulouse-Lautrec, what people, places, or objects might we find in your sketchbook?


Activity

Make your own sketchbook & find daily inspiration 

Supplies:

  • Cereal box 8x12in

  • Copy paper 8.5x11in

  • Scissors

  • Rubber band

  • Optional:

    • Paint, fabric, ribbon, etc.

Directions:

  • Cut out one of the large sides of the cereal box

  • Fold it in half

  • Fold your pieces of copy paper in half

  • Put your folded pieces inside the folded cereal box

  • Take the rubber band and put it around the fold of the paper and the cereal box


Toulouse-Lautrec inspired prompts for your daily sketches:

Day 1: Sketch a window in your room

Day 2: Sketch a tree in your yard

Day 3: Sketch your dinner for that day

Day 4: Sketch a pet or stuffed animal

Day 5: Sketch a family member

Day 6: Sketch a person doing an activity

Day 7: Sketch three of your past sketches into one piece

Share and tag your beautiful creations with the hashtag #PMoAatHome!

Portrait de Dihau, “les vielles histoires”

(Portrait of dihau, “old stories”)

1893

pencil on paper