Toulouse-Lautrec's La Goulue at the Moulin Rouge - Essay Example

Toulouse-Lautrecs La Goulue at the Moulin Rouge Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s ‘La Goulue at the Moulin Roughe’ was created in 1891 during the late fin de siècle era in Paris. The work has become one of the iconic cultural productions of the era. In terms of printmaking techniques, Lautrec implemented a lithograph. Upon this lithograph there were four colors printed, with three sheets of woven paper ("Met Museum"). While the picture appears small in image recreations, in reality it stands six feet stall.

Lautrec created the work as an advertisement for the Moulin Rouge, a prominent Paris nightclub during the late 19th century (Burleigh). In addition to advertising the Moulin Rouge in general, the work advertises a show by performance artist La Goulue. La Goulue was the stage name of Louise Weber. Weber was a French can-can dancer who regularly performed at the Moulin Rouge. She became a star at the club and would be immortalized in a number of Luatrec’s works. This specific work itself is seminal in Lautrec’s career as after it was posted in the club it made him famous overnight.

Contained within the work are a number of Lautrec’s prominent influences. In these regards, Lautrec was influenced by the impressionist works of the era, although this work in not entirely reflective of such a mode of production. Other prominent influences in the work are figurative painters Manet and Degas (Burleigh). This influence is seen in Lautrec’s articulation of individuals in their working environment, with the nightlife a prominent thematic concern. References Burleigh, R. Toulouse-Lautrec : The Moulin Rouge And The City Of Light, Paris: Devant. 2003. "Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec: Moulin Rouge.

" Met Museum. N.p., 2011. Web. 29 Oct 2011. .