Exploring the 'Ethereal Life in Paris'

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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