At the Moulin Rouge

The Moulin Rouge was the hub of Parisian nightlife in the late 19th century but in art and culture it became a powerful symbol of pleasure and illusion. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864-1901) used the image to explore Post-Impressionist themes of character, psychology, and modern leisure culture. The period saw a rise in mass entertainment and a move towards subjective expressive distortion rather than naturalism which was so popular in Impressionism art styles. Toulouse-Lautrec has added an element of reality to this otherwise abstract painting. The scene includes real celebrities of the time: dancers and singers of the Moulin Rouge. He has depicted the mix of performance, spectacle, and social networking which occurred each night at the cabaret. The figures appear to participate in a psychologically disconnected performance, their faces blank, making the overall interaction of the painting feel rather staged. Is Toulouse-Lautrec using the scene to reflect the constructed and false identity of 19th century society? The cabaret is seen as a symbol of modernity and excess where social roles are enacted for others to observe. Moreover, the inclusion of mirrors within in the interior reflect the fragmented status of those in attendance, posing a question over illusion and reality. Toulouse-Lautrec’s striking colour palette leaves a sour taste: the green tones are unnatural and unsettling and the red hues draws attention, portraying a spectacle of sexuality. The artificial lighting resembles modern nightlife but is surrounded by the dark shadows of isolation and anonymity. The palette creates a psychological atmosphere of anxiety. Furthermore, the cropping and asymmetry, with figures cut off at the edge of the cavas, makes the painting feel like a photograph capturing the truth of society amongst the pleasures that life can offer. Toulouse-Lautrec blends portraiture, social critique, and modern urban experience. Underneath the glamour of the 19th century he has revealed the unease and seclusion within society as a whole and humans as individuals.