Exploring the 'Ethereal Life in Paris'
Word count: 432
Time estimated: 4 min
Without Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864-1901), it is difficult to visualize the night scene of "Moulin Rouge" from nearly a century ago.
The French painter and pioneer of modern poster design and lithograph art is the first artist to elevate posters to the same artistic status as traditional painting.
Currently underway at Shanghai's Aurora Museum, "Ethereal Life in Paris: A World Tour Exhibition with Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec" features 120 sets and more than 230 precious objects related to the artist, varying from representative posters, books, magazines, music score covers to illustrations and valuable manuscripts, letters, old photos, as well as personal belongings.
Known as the "soul of Montmartre," Toulouse-Lautrec was keen to visit the most representative entertainment venues in Paris during his time. His paintings range from bars to opera houses, from horse racing to bicycle racing, from singers and actors to prostitutes and clowns, recording the non-traditional aspects of rapidly changing urban life with a vivid picture of the splendid nightlife in Montmartre.
Left: "Divan Japonais" (1893), color lithograph, 1,153mm by 953mm
Right: "Jane Avril au Jardin de Paris" (1895), color lithograph, 502mm by 417mm
The artist did not paint landscape or religious paintings, nor any abstract concept, and all his themes were about human beings except for a few animals.
I describe things as they are, I will not judge them.
Through his sharp observation, the figures in his work are slightly humorous with ironic expressions.
Toulouse-Lautrec also successfully eliminated the boundary between "high-brow art" (oil painting, sketch, sculpture) and "low-level art" (posters and other graphic visual forms). He made posters an art category that people could enjoy and collect.
As a new art form, posters emerged as one of the most important media for fashion and entertainment life in Paris at that time.
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec sleeping on a couch by Natanson, photo, circa 1900
Toulouse-Lautrec gained early fame as an artist from a poster designed for Moulin Rouge. While at the same time, he referred to Japanese Ukiyo-e prints to form his unique artistic design: bright and bold color matching, unconventional composition, fast and expressive contour lines, dark silhouettes and simple figure shapes that highlighted the essential features.
All of these attributes can be found in some of his representative posters, such as "Jane Avril au Jardin de Paris," and "Eldorado: Aristide Bruant," at the ongoing exhibition.
"I will draw till 40 years old, then stop creating," the artist once said.
It is a pity that he failed to realize this goal. However, his works continue to "guide" viewers to the streets of Paris, and a glimpse of the prosperous night scene of Montmartre in "Belle Epoque."
Date
Through April 7 (closed on Mondays), 10am-5pm (10am-9pm on Fridays)
Venue
Aurora Museum 丨 震旦博物馆
Address
99 Fucheng Rd 丨 富城路99号
1
New Year's Gala for Foreign Experts
Shanghai Science and Technology Commission (Shanghai Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs) will present an online New Year's Gala for all foreign experts and international friends at 7:30pm on Friday. The gala will feature performance from Shanghai Ballet, Chinese Choir of Burggymnasium High School, flamenco dance and African song.
Date
January 13, 7:30pm
Channel
Scan the QR code below to access the gala
2
Light / Reflect
Organized by the Shanghai Artists' Association and China Art Museum, "Light / Reflect: 19th Sea Horizon Painting and Sculpture Exhibition" features 200 artworks, which are mainly canvas and sculpture, yet also includes ink, water-colors, multi-media, installation and photographs.
Date
Through January 27 (closed on Mondays), 9am–5pm
Venue
China Art Museum 丨 中华艺术宫
Address
205 Shangnan Rd 丨 上南路205号
3
Exhibition on splendid art and culture of Tibet
An exhibition celebrating the splendid art and culture of Tibet unfolded a colorful art roll of intangible cultural heritage originating in the snow-covered Qinghai–Tibet Plateau region. The display features 42 national-level cultural artefacts from Qinghai Tibetan Culture Museum and two paintings dating to the reign of the Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
Date
Through February 5, 10am-9pm
Venue
3/F, Huabao Tower, Yuyuan Garden Malls 丨 豫园商城华宝楼3楼
Address
265 Fangbang Rd M. 丨 方浜中路265号
4
Zephyr from Shanghai
Pastel is a timeless art style that dates back to the Old Stone Age and combines the profundity of canvas with the flexibility of watercolors. The Shanghai Jiushi Art Museum is now hosting "Zephyr from Shanghai: Second Exhibition of Shanghai Pastel Society" through February 12.
Date
Through February 12, 10am-6pm
Venue
Shanghai Jiushi Art Museum 丨 上海久事美术馆
Address
6/F, 27 Zhongshan Rd E1 丨 中山东一路27号6楼
5
Youth Spatial Art Exhibition
The Youth Spatial Art Exhibition at The INLET features artwork by nine groups of young artists, architects and designers. The art works, themed "Longtang Modern," include sculptures, paintings, installations and visual images. Some are designed for the shikumen (stone-gate) building complex, while others integrate into the longtang (narrow alley) and patios at The INLET.
Date
Through March 5
Venue
The INLET 丨 今潮8弄
Address
Intersection of Sichuan Rd. N and Wujin Rd 丨 四川北路武进路口
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Editor: Su Yanxian
Designer: Shi JingyunWriter: Wang Jie
Photo: Ti Gong