Toulouse-Lautrec, a journey through the Paris of the Belle Époque

Paris, late 19th century. It is the age of carefreeness and progress, of art invading the boulevards, of cafes frequented by painters, writers and dancers, of the first electric lights and the birth of mass society. In this cultural ferment Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864-1901), a unique figure in the European art scene, was born and established himself. A painter, illustrator and graphic innovator, Lautrec captured the nightlife and bohemian spirit of Montmartre Paris with an ironic and profound gaze.

An assiduous frequenter of venues such as the Moulin Rouge, Lautrec was able to transform the world of the night - made up of shows, theaters, café-concerts and marginal figures such as prostitutes, dancers and chansonnier - into art. His advertising posters, created with an innovative lithographic technique, not only revolutionized the concept of promotional graphics, but also became true visual icons of the Belle Époque.

From September 27, 2025 all this will be the world of "Toulouse-Lautrec. A Journey through the Paris of the Belle Époque," the major exhibition at the Museo degli Innocenti in Florence.
Among the most famous works on display-exceptional loan from the Wolfgang Krohn Collection in Hamburg-will be color lithographs (such as Jane Avril, 1893), advertising posters (such as Troupe de Mademoiselle Églantine from 1896 and Aristide Bruant in his cabaret from 1893), pencil and pen drawings, promotional graphics and newspaper illustrations (as in La Revue blanche, 1895) that have become emblematic of an era inextricably linked with the images of the aristocratic Viscount Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, some of them from the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum in Alby.

To make the experience even more immersive, the exhibition also features works by other major figures of the Belle Époque and Art Nouveau periods. It is a true visual journey between elegance and innovation, where Alphonse Mucha's seductive female figures, Jules Chéret 's vibrant and colorful posters-considered the pioneer of modern advertising-and Georges de Feure's evocative atmospheres stand out. Completing the itinerary are the exquisite works of Frédéric-Auguste Cazals, Paul Berthon and other extraordinary artists who were able to transform graphics into art. A unique opportunity to immerse oneself in the vibrant spirit of an era that made style and creativity its most recognizable signature.

Complementing the display is a rich array of period photographs, videos, costumes, and furnishings, transporting visitors on a multisensory journey to Paris between 1880 and 1900. A time when art, technology, freedom of expression and new forms of entertainment laid the foundations of the modern world.

A window on the Belle Époque

The exhibition is not only a tribute to Toulouse-Lautrec, but also an opportunity to explore the Belle Époque in all its facets: an era of contrasts, dreams and cultural revolutions. While Europe was experiencing a period of relative peace and progress, Paris became the capital of pleasure and the avant-garde, where architecture, painting, furniture, sculpture and music were invaded by references to nature, the plant world and a new image of the female figure. Regarded as an international current, it was based on a break with nineteenth-century eclecticism and historicism and represented a modern response to an increasingly industrialized society.

Conceived of as total art, Modern Style became Tiffany in the United States, Jugendstil in Germany, Sezession in Austria, Nieuwe Kunst in the Netherlands, Art Nouveau in Italy, Modernism in Spain, and quickly established itself in England, home of the movement's leading theorists, and came under the name Art Nouveau in France. The exhibition rooms tell the story of this unique climate, interweaving art, society and visual culture.

With Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and the Belle Époque, Florence celebrates not only an extraordinary artist, but also an unrepeatable historical moment that still continues to influence our aesthetic imagination today.

Under the patronage of the City of Florence, the exhibition is produced and organized by Arthemisia once again alongside the Museo degli Innocenti, in collaboration with Cristoforo, theErnst Barlach Museumsgesellschaft Hamburg and BridgeconsultingPro and is curated by Dr. Jurgen Dopplestein with Gabriele Accornero, project manager of the Collection.
The exhibition has Ricola as special partner , partners Mercato Centrale Firenze, Unicoop Firenze and La Rinascente, mobility partner Frecciarossa Treno Ufficiale, media partner CityNews, educationalpartner LABA. The catalog is published by Moebius.

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