Astro-Notes on Toulouse-Lautrec

Thanks to one of his favorite drinking clubs, the Moulin Rouge, the noble-born Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec found fame and renown through his posters featuring dancers, Paris’ ladies of the evening, and the gentlemen who were attracted to them. Here is one example of his work:

Painting by Toulouse-Lautrec; PD image

Born at Chateau du Bosc at Albi, France, Toulouse-Lautrec was the son of two first cousins and was unfortunate enough to be afflicted with dwarfism. Besides his short stature, extreme near-sightedness, drooling, and a lisp added to his misery as other people found his appearance distinctly unappealing. Eventually the social outcast discovered his drawing talent while recovering from a broken leg (fragile bones) at his childhood home, the castle of du Bosc.

The astrology of his birth tells an interesting tale with his genius (Uranus in Gemini) in a beneficial trine (120 degrees) with Saturn, planet of realism, form, and structure (canvasses).

If you wish, view a brief bio and his natal horoscope here.

You’ll find his Sun in early Sagittarius, sign of the Seeker, and natal Moon in Venus-ruled Libra, a sign of art, beauty, and social activities. Rising at his 6:00 am birth (LMT) on November 24, 1864 is Scorpio, a sign associated with health issues.

As for his personality, a Fire-Air Sun Sag-Moon Libra blend denotes one with an optimistic streak (Sagittarius ruled by jolly Jupiter), a social conscience, and a liking for entertainment. We see a combination of the underdog, the innocent child, and the eccentric artist within this blend.

Admiration is a requirement of this blend so that his recognition in the art world of Paris must have given him on a deep level some measure of satisfaction. Passionate and idealistic, Toulouse-Lautrec wanted to “share the grand journey” of life with someone yet we feel his disappointment in the romance department. Painting Can-Can dancers on stage or women bathing had to suffice with perhaps a bit of lovemaking tossed in–out of what?….pity?

Taking care of everyday responsibilities was not Henri’s strong suit with this personality blend and of course the heavy drinking made that conveniently impossible. Reliance upon luck would have been a tendency along with gullibility, a quick wit, and an over-expansive style. Night clubs such as the racy Moulin Rouge were the perfect environment for his ‘live wire’ Fire-Air personality with its abundance of ideas and love of fast pace living.

Now for his Sun Sag-Moon Libra Images for Integration brought to us by Charles and Suzi Harvey’s Sun Sign-Moon Sign:

“Amidst a whirl of gaiety, a writer sits in a coffee house taking notes, and a painter paints…The Dead Poets Society.”

A few famous folk who were also born under the influence of a Sun Sag-Moon Libra blend include: Jonathan Swift, Emily Dickinson, Jane Austen, Saki, Maria Callas, Betty Grable, Walt Disney, David Carradine, and Werner Heisenberg.

As you see, all but the last are in the entertainment or writing fields unless you consider physics to be an entertainment. My thought is that Toulouse-Lautrec possessed the ability to see beneath surfaces which informed his portrayals of human anatomy!