La Revue Blanche
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864 – 1901) was a French painter, printmaker, draftsman, and illustrator. The period he created his art was known as the Belle Époque and his focus was on the decadence in Parisian society. This design advertised the fortnightly 'La Revue Blanche' avant-garde artistic and literary periodical that was founded in Belgium in 1889 by the Natanson brothers and moved to Paris when they did. There, they were among the first to recognize Toulouse-Lautrec's unconventional genius, and freely published his drawings in the magazine. They also became friends socially, and the artist became a frequent participant in the intimate gatherings at the home of one of the brothers, Thadee Natanson, whose wife Misa enjoyed the company of stimulating intellectuals, artists, and writers. It is Misa we see in this poster, and her rather unusual stance is explained by the fact that she is actually on skates. As one of the movers and shakers among the literary set, Misia was the most emancipated women of her generation. Toulouse-Lautrec, who could be mercilessly scathing, pays her homage with an entirely sympathetic portrayal