Toulouse-Lautrec: A Journey into Paris Comes to Florence

From September 27, 2025 to February 22, 2026, the Museo degli Innocenti will open its doors to the world of “Toulouse-Lautrec. A Journey into Belle Époque Paris”, a major exhibition that brings the vibrancy, elegance, and innovation of late 19th-century Paris to the heart of Florence.

At the center of the exhibition is an exceptional loan from the Wolfgang Krohn Collection in Hamburg, alongside works from the Musée Toulouse-Lautrec in Albi. Visitors will see some of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s most iconic pieces, including the 1893 color lithograph Jane Avril, the famous posters Troupe de Mademoiselle Églantine (1896) and Aristide Bruant in His Cabaret (1893), as well as pencil and pen drawings, promotional graphics, and illustrations such as La Revue blanche (1895).

Toulouse-Lautrec (1864–1901), an aristocratic viscount and one of the most original voices in European art, captured with wit and precision the nightlife and bohemian spirit of Montmartre. A regular at the Moulin Rouge and other cabarets, he transformed the world of theatre, café-concerts, and the characters who inhabited them—dancers, singers, and courtesans—into lasting works of art. His innovative use of lithography revolutionized poster design, making them not just advertisements but enduring visual symbols of the Belle Époque.

The exhibition also offers a broader view of the period, featuring masterpieces by other leading artists of the Belle Époque and Art Nouveau. Among them are the alluring female figures of Alphonse Mucha, the colorful and dynamic posters of Jules Chéret—often called the father of modern advertising—and the atmospheric works of Georges de Feure. Pieces by Frédéric-Auguste Cazals, Paul Berthon, and other notable names complete a panorama of graphic art at the turn of the century.

To enhance the experience, the Museo degli Innocenti will present period photographs, films, costumes, and furnishings, creating an immersive, multisensory journey through Paris between 1880 and 1900. It was a time when art, technology, and entertainment merged to shape the modern world, and when new styles—known variously as Art Nouveau, Liberty, Modernisme, Jugendstil, or Tiffany—swept across Europe and beyond.

The show is more than a tribute to Toulouse-Lautrec; it is an exploration of a remarkable cultural moment. Florence will celebrate not only an extraordinary artist but also an era of contrasts and creativity, when the optimism of progress met the daring of avant-garde art.

Organized by Arthemisia in collaboration with the Museo degli Innocenti, the exhibition is curated by Dr. Jürgen Doppelstein with Gabriele Accornero, project manager for the Wolfgang Krohn Collection. It is held under the patronage of the City of Florence.

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