An Englishman at the Moulin Rouge

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec captured the exciting nightlife of Paris in a series of caricature lithographs, one of which was titled An Englishman at the Moulin Rouge.

The artist typically created figures from coloured silhouettes, fore going any great detail in his work in this medium (in comparison to some of his drawings and other paintings). This simple style was suited to poster design, advertising clubs and bars across the city. Posters needed to attract attention immediately and so impact was key.

This artwork can now be found at the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest, Hungary. The scene itself features just a few figures together in conversation, with the Englishman himself devoid of any detail other than a charming top hat. Small dark lines add enough for us to judge his age and social standing whilst two glamorous women appear happy to converse with him. The artist chose to add a little more variety in colour to these two women.

The confidence of all three figures would suggest that these social occasions and settings were very much the norm for them. Toulouse-Lautrec chose to crop the scene in an aggressive way that helps to give us the impression of the content continuing off the canvas. This feels more real and helps us to be a part of the composition ourselves.