Anna Held, in Toutes ces Dames au Théâtre

Anna Held, in Toutes ces Dames au Théâtre by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec French, 1864-1901, captures the vibrant atmosphere of Parisian Fin-de-siècle culture. Created in 1894, this celebrated Anna Held portrait showcases the artist's masterful use of the lithographic medium. Executed as a print on cream wove paper, the work exemplifies the high demand for reproducible art forms in 19th-century France. The artist's choice of lithography allowed for rapid production and distribution, cementing the public image of figures central to the city’s entertainment industry.

Toulouse-Lautrec was deeply immersed in the theatrical and cabaret scene, often focusing his gaze on performers, dancers, and actors who populated the Moulin Rouge and the Folies Bergère. This work depicts Anna Held (1872-1918), a Polish-born singer and actress who achieved international fame, particularly following her move to America, where she married Florenz Ziegfeld. However, this image captures her during the peak of her European celebrity. The immediacy and dramatic cropping characteristic of Toulouse-Lautrec's style suggest the ephemeral nature of performance, often influenced by contemporary photography.

As a key example of the French graphic arts tradition, this print provides valuable insight into the commercialization of portraiture in the 1890s. The work is classified as a significant print in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it resides today. Because of its age and cultural importance, high-resolution images of this piece are frequently found in the public domain, making Toulouse-Lautrec’s iconic representation of Anna Held accessible to researchers and enthusiasts worldwide.