Catalogue of an Exhibition of Paintings by Henri De Toulouse-Lautrec

ARTS CLUB EXHIBITIONS AT THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO C A T ALOGUE OF AN EX HIBITI ON O F PAINTINGS BY HENRI DE TOULOUSE-LAUTREC W ITH AN A PPRECIAT IO N BY A. BART H ELEMY DECEMBER TWENTY-THIRD TO JANUARY TWENTY -FIFTH 1924-1925 It is only th e other day th at in a drawin g-room where some conge nial people were discus sin g art over a cup of tea, th e question was asked: "Wh at is beauty ?" I will not take the opportunity of this catalogue to indulge in speculations which, bein g rightly anxious to look at the works presented here by the Arts Club, the visitor would leave unread. But I must confess my admiration for those who hav e tried to express by the artisti c means at their command the life of the men an d women, amo ng whom their lot was cast. It would be a great pity if these days of ours, unpicturesque as they may seem to people of whom I am not one, had been without witnesses so curious and sincere, that it may perhaps be said that no other period of the world's history has left a grea ter wealth of information, inspired by deepe r sympathy and understanding. Study da vivo is the counsel which the old Italian mast ers used to give. Toulouse-Lautrec is one of those who followed that ad vic e, though it would be tru er to say that it answered th e need which was in him. We must place him very hi gh among the artists who, without asking themselves to what kind of ism they belonged, h ad but one wish, to look at Nature wirh a clear eye and a true he art and let themselves be impressed by their surroundings, which in these days of speed, when everything seems to be carried away quicker than ever, we must be grateful to them for havin g pre served, as they deserve to be. Were we not so prejudiced by labels, we would praise Toulouse-Lautrec as an historian as well as an artist. It may be difficult to say what beauty is. Cannons differ, but th ere is encouragement in the fact that all great artists have had to m ake their way in the face of opposition and criticism. If we are not always able to reason our admiration, it should not be forgotten that as far as they themselves are concerned artists do ,not find it the easiest thing in the world to express what is in them. How touching it is to see so many of them struggling for modes of expression which by intelligent and sympathetic app re ciation of their efforts we must help them to find! And surely we know when an artist has le feu sacre. It is when, disdainful of mere cleverness, he shows that sincerity which is the mark of the elect . Toulouse-Lautrec, was pre-eminently sincere . Paris, which he so loved, owes him much. It is one more service rendered by the Arts Club that it should have introduced to Chicago an artist so worthy to be known, who also deserves to be loved, for life, which he perhaps abused, was not very kind to him. But had it been otherwise, he would not have become the artist whom a happy inspiration has brou ght to us here with some of the best that he had to give. A : Barthelemy CATALOGUE 1 Monsieur Boileau 2 Monsieur Fourcade 3 Marcelle Lender 4 Femme dans un Atelier 5 Portrait de Fenune 6 Moulin de la Galette 7 Le Moulin Rouge 8 Berthe la Sourde 9 Profil¢ de Femme 10 Le Cirque (portrait de Monsieur Loyal) 11 La Clownesse • LOANED BY PAUL ROSENBERG OF PARIS AND NEW YORK .

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