ABSTRACT THE MARGINALIZED AND OSTRACIZED HENRI DE TOULOUSE- LAUTREC: HOW A GENETIC PHYSICAL AILMENT WAS KEY TO A NOBLE MAN’S DÉCLASSÉ DROP IN SOCIAL CLASS AS HE PARALLELED HIMSELF WITH THE OUTCAST IN BOHEMIAN MONTMARTRE The purpose of this thesis is to determine how the genetic disease pycnodysostosis determined the artwork and subject matter of the modern artist Henri de Toulouse- Lautrec as he paralleled himself with the social outcast living in bohemian Montmartre Paris during the 19th century. The class structure of European society naturally marginalized Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec for his physical ailment. Despite his noble privilege, he was ostracized for his physical height, ridiculed for his short stature as it was viewed as a freak of nature. Because of his physical differences, his peers denied him the opportunity to be a legitimate member of the aristocracy and respectable citizen of bourgeois society. This led to a general experience of alienation in such environments among his own class throughout his lifetime. Eventually, this caused him to find refuge in bohemian society, where his experience of exclusion paralleled that of other social outcasts, which validated his own rejection in terms of his class and its values. This movement away from his own class transformed the focus of his art. The respectable subject matter that was once expected of him by the aristocracy was unexpectedly replaced with the bohemian as subject, an act seen as a disrespect to the establishment, including his own family. The “noble lady” was replaced with the art model, female entertainer, the prostitute and the lesbian, while the “noble gentleman” was replaced with the male anarchist, entertainer and homosexual. Jonathan Wayne Stanley May 2020 THE MARGINALIZED AND OSTRACIZED HENRI DE TOULOUSE- LAUTREC: HOW A GENETIC PHYSICAL AILMENT WAS KEY TO A NOBLE MAN’S DÉCLASSÉ DROP IN SOCIAL CLASS AS HE PARALLELED HIMSELF WITH THE OUTCAST IN BOHEMIAN MONTMARTRE by Jonathan Wayne Stanley A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Art in the College of Arts and Humanities California State University, Fresno May 2020 APPROVED For the Department of Art and Design: We, the undersigned, certify that the thesis of the following student meets the required standards of scholarship, format, and style of the university and the student's graduate degree program for the awarding of the master's degree. Jonathan Wayne Stanley Thesis Author Keith Jordan (Chair) Art and Design Laura Meyer Art and Design Criss Wilhite Psychology For the University Graduate Committee: Dean, Division of Graduate Studies AUTHORIZATION FOR REPRODUCTION OF MASTER’S THESIS X I grant permission for the reproduction of this thesis in part or in its entirety without further authorization from me, on the condition that the person or agency requesting reproduction absorbs the cost and provides proper acknowledgment of authorship. Permission to reproduce this thesis in part or in its entirety must be obtained from me. Signature of thesis author: Jonathan Wayne Stanley ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Personal Dedication Even though Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec is found in the Post-Impressionist and Art Nouveau modern art movements of 19th-century Paris, I envisioned his very life incarnating in this thesis as if the manifestation of a classical Renaissance Pietà. Reminiscent of Michelangelo’s Divine Mother with Child, I envisioned his long- suffering pious mother Adèle as the natural solid rock, The Virtuous Virgin, carved out of the marble stone she is sitting on while both her flesh and foundation supports her son Henri—until the very end—holding him in her arms literally, even metaphorically until his death. I envisioned Henri as that noble child, the Viscount, her Only Begotten Son—for he was—and despite the world’s frequent denial of his true majesty, he prevailed and left behind an artistic legacy that is one of a kind, but it did not come without the sacrifice of his own life. My role in the vision is to present and deliver this thesis as a gift to them both—to acknowledge their sacred mother and son relationship—but most of all, to give honor to Henri—a truly victorious noble man and avant-garde artist of the 19th century. May his art legacy live on forever as I dedicate this thesis project to him. Personal Acknowledgements -I would like to acknowledge and thank my Toulouse-Lautrec Committee: Keith Jordan, Ph.D., Laura Meyer, Ph.D. and Professor Criss Wilhite for their service, academic role and support during this thesis. v v -I would like to acknowledge and thank the author and scholar Julia Frey for her award winning biography Toulouse-Lautrec: A Life (1994). It has brought forth the most detailed and intimate of facts pertaining to the life of the artist. I used it as my comprehensive H.T-L baseline for identification, verification and foundation. -I would like to acknowledge and thank my lawyer, Shirin, (including James and various legal colleagues) for their advisement in protecting the best interest of my professional future. -I would like to acknowledge and thank my therapist Gidai, who never wavered in the belief that I have something valuable to offer the world. -I would like to acknowledge and thank my older brother Philip, my older sister Cindy and my brother-in-law Mike who offered their love and support as both family and friend during this thesis. -I would like to acknowledge and thank my fellow art colleague Anabella, whose artwork in combination with her fiery Picasso-like spirit only gave me more enthusiasm to seek out untapped parallels in uncovering veiled truth as an artist and writer. -I would like to acknowledge and thank my fellow art colleague Timothy who was always available to me and never forgot I was a Fresno State graduate student, thesis candidate and human being during this entire project. -I would like to acknowledge and thank Caitlyn for her early support as a friend and professional colleague in my thesis endeavors on Toulouse-Lautrec. -I would like to acknowledge and thank my fellow art colleague Denise, who during her own life duties, still managed to be present and mindful of our friendship during this thesis. -I would like to acknowledge and thank the Associate Vice-Presidents of Faculty Affairs at Fresno State University for their administrative support and attention to this thesis. vi vi -I would like to acknowledge and thank—past and present—all who have paid a price for their own marginalized or ostracized experience: let’s hope the future sustains the enlightenment required to always “see a Toulouse-Lautrec” in our midst. -I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge myself, for I embraced my own beliefs, values, principles and life experience for the sake of birthing this thesis project. -Finally, I would like to acknowledge and thank “Veritas” itself, for Truth was the intention of the University and its establishment from the beginning; therefore, let Truth be found in the commitment, presentation and recording of this thesis. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................ ix CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION WITH QUESTIONS POSED ......................................... 1 CHAPTER 2: BACKGROUND & EARLY BEGINNINGS ................................................ 5 Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec: An Artist is Born ............................................................... 5 Alphonse de Toulouse-Lautrec: The Artist’s Father ..................................................... 7 Adèle de Toulouse-Lautrec: The Artist’s Mother ........................................................ 16 The Toulouse-Lautrecs: Royal Inbreeding, Noble Aristocracy & Family Estate ...... 21 The Move to Paris: Hôtel Peréy, Baccalauréat Exams & Formal Pursuit of Art ....... 29 The Parisian Atelier: The Art Masters Princeteau, Bonnat & Cormon ...................... 32 Bohemian Montmartre Paris: Toulouse-Lautrec’s New Home ................................. 42 Toulouse-Lautrec’s Physical Ailment: Discovery, Symptoms, Progression and Prognosis ............................................................................................................ 47 Toulouse-Lautrec: An Eccentric Personality Full of Theatrics.................................. 59 CHAPTER 3: ART CRITIQUE & ARGUMENTS ............................................................. 73 Toulouse-Lautrec: Movement and Transformations with Everything Anew ............ 73 Toulouse-Lautrec: Validating His Own Outcast Experience through his Art ........... 74 The Demimonde Model, Entertainer, Prostitute and Lesbian Woman as Fellow Outcast................................................................................................................ 75 Toulouse-Lautrec’s Relation with La Goulue: Queen of Montmartre ....................... 75 Toulouse-Lautrec’s Relation with Jane Avril: La Mélénite ........................................ 79 The Male Anarchist, Entertainer and Homosexual as Fellow Outcast ....................... 85 Toulouse-Lautrec’s Relation with Aristide Bruant: La Trumpet ................................ 85 Toulouse-Lautrec’s Relation with Oscar Wilde: A Fellow Aristocrat’s fall from Grace .................................................................................................................. 92 CHAPTER 4: DISCUSSION ................................................................................................ 98 viii viii Page Aristocracy