Toulouse-Lautrec exhibition .. and a last look at the gallery

If you live in Bedford you will be aware of the importance of our local art gallery and museum. You may have visited it before, or taken some friends and relations, or maybe visited the museum and gallery as part of a school trip or an organised tour.

Most of our visitors to Bedford are already aware of the Cecil Higgins Art Gallery and Bedford Museum. Some, however, when directed to the site for the first time, express how interesting and informative it is and how pleased they were to discover it!

Bedford Gallery will be hosting its last exhibition: ‘High kicks and low life’. Toulouse- Lautrec prints until Sunday, April 10, before the gallery temporarily closes to the public as part of the redevelopment of the site. We advise you to take a final visit to see the gallery in its present form before the refurbishment takes place.

The exhibition is organised by the British Museum with the support of the Dorset Foundation, and presents a selection of Toulouse- Lautrec’s graphic work. Bedford is one of just four venues in the UK to be chosen to display the works. The exhibition is divided into two sections. Scenes from Theatrical Life presents striking images of Parisian nightlife, including cabaret dancers such as Louise Weber, known as ‘La Goulue’ (the Glutton) and Avril, one of Lautrec’s favourite subjects. The second section, Scenes from Daily Life, captures the daily rituals of feminine life of the women living in the district of Montmartre.

The exhibition is accompanied by tours given by our volunteers. These are free to attend (donations welcome) with a maximum of 15 places per tour, so please book ahead. Please note the same tour will be given on: Thursday, January 27, 1-1.30pm, Thursday, February 10, 1-1.30pm, Thursday, March 3, 1-1.30pm, Thursday, March 17, 1-1.30pm and Thursday, March 31, 1-1.30pm.

Half-term activities are available from Wednesday, February 23 until Friday, February 25 inspired by Toulouse-Lautrec. For further information please pop in to the Bedford Tourist Information Centre for a leaflet on the exhibition or contact the art gallery on 01234 211222, [email protected] or via the gallery websites www.bedfordmuseum.org and www.cecilhigginsartgallery.org

If you would like to purchase a souvenir from the exhibition the gallery has commissioned a limited reproduction Toulouse-Lautrec print. The edition is of 250 and they are priced at £18.50 each.

You may like to purchase a handbook catalogue for the exhibition, priced at £9.99 and gift cards and post cards, connected to Toulouse-Lautrec will also be on sale.

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