Montmarte of Toulouse-Lautrec

Of the top dozen shows on view in Washington this winter and spring, about half are at the National Gallery. Their most highly touted show this spring is "Toulouse-Lautrec and Montmartre" - a sure-fire sell to the public. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec seems to get more regular outings than his modest achievements as an artist might warrant. And Toulouse-Lautrec shows often invoke the worst, most tired cliches about the splendors of belle epoque Paris and Montmartre, complete with talk of sparkling gaslight, reeling absinthe addicts and high-kicking cancan girls. Here's hoping the National Gallery can make its Toulouse-Lautrec show say something new and worthwhile, and live up to the high intellectual standards the gallery sets. For the full story - click the title Irish Art