Synopsis

Henri Toulouse-Lautrec is the great chronicler of the Belle Epoque and Montmartre's nightclub district in Paris. 

Close to his motifs, the dwarfish son of a wealthy aristocrat led his short, excessive life as an artist. Using placards and lithographs he depicted the debauched world of Paris cabarets and brothels using only minimal lines and colours.

His famous graphic work is the subject of this film. Scenes from Huston's Moulin Rouge, archive footage of the original locations, a Toulouse-Lautrec exhibition at London's Royal Academy and interviews with artists, critics and collectors together provide revealing insights into the artist's life.

Art Lives, from Arthaus, is a powerful and arresting series of documentaries on artists and art movements released for the first time on DVDin the English language.