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Why did Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec begin sketching as a child?
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Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
At the Moulin Rouge, oil on canvas by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, 1892ā95; in the Art Institute of Chicago.
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec began sketching at the age of 10, a pursuit encouraged by his family, as his grandfather, father, and uncle were all talented draftsmen.1
His dedication to art intensified significantly following two accidents in 1878 and 1879, in which he fractured both of his thighbones. These injuries required long, painful periods of convalescence and resulted in the atrophy of his legs, which made walking difficult. Consequently, he devoted increasing amounts of time to sketching and art as a way to pass the time during these frequently lonely hours of recovery.1