Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (24 November 1864–9 September 1901), born in France, was only 36 when he died, but he is one of the most famous artist of the Post Impressionist Art movement, with his painting "La Blanchisseuse" selling for a record breaking $22.4 million in 2005. He was a sickly child with heart problems and deformed legs that didn't grow properly and had suffered a terrible fracture, but he was a natural talent and showed promise of becoming a great artist by the age of 8.

After completing his schooling, Toulouse-Lautrec settled in the Parisian town of Montmarte, known for its partying lifestyle and a popular destination of artists, writers and philosophers. He studied with famous painter Leon Bonnat (1833–1922) and met other future legends like Vincent Van Gogh and Oscar Wilde. Despite such a short lifespan, Toulouse-Lautrec created thousands of artworks, from canvases and watercolors to the posters and prints which friends thought were a waste of his talent, but he always maintained that it was worth the money. He became one of the premier poster artists of his time, and some of the printing presses he used are still in use today.