Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Amedeo Modigliani

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864 - 1901) captured the lively bohemian life of Paris, of which he was very much a part. He drank heavily, often to be a part of the merriment as well as to protect himself against ridicule of his appearance. This ultimately took its toll, and he died young, unable to rid himself of his alcoholism. His paintings and posters are highly sought after, particularly the Moulin Rouge group.

Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani (1884-1920) was a contemporary of the Cubists, and his Expressionistic work was influenced by that emotionally-charged style. Modigliani is among a group of modern avant-garde artists working in Paris in the early 20th century whose personal lives, vices, friendships, and artistic explorations often supercedes their work. His passionate, bohemian lifestyle and substance abuse led to his early death of tuberculosis at the age of 35. In true soap opera style, his distraught lover committed suicide the very next day, jumping to her death and taking her own life and that of the couple's unborn child.