The influential French artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec created At the Renaissance: Sarah Bernhardt in "Phedre" (A la Renaissance: Sarah Bernhardt dans "Phèdre") in 1893. This striking lithograph captures the legendary actress Sarah Bernhardt in her role as the tragic heroine in Jean Racine's classical play, Phèdre, performed at the Théâtre de la Renaissance. Executed in black ink on high-quality velin paper, the work exemplifies Toulouse-Lautrec's mastery of the print medium, utilizing stark contrasts and simplified forms to convey dramatic intensity.
Toulouse-Lautrec frequently documented the celebrities and performers of the Parisian nightlife and stage, defining the visual culture of the Belle Époque. This powerful depiction of Bernhardt, known for her commanding stage presence, emphasizes the emotional weight of the character. The artist’s signature style eschews detailed realism in favor of expressive contours and deep shadows, which immediately draw the viewer into the scene's emotional core. As one of the most celebrated French printmakers of the 1876 to 1900 period, Toulouse-Lautrec revolutionized the artistic potential of the lithograph, elevating it from a commercial reproduction technique to a high art form capable of addressing modern themes.
This graphic work is a key example of the artist's dedication to capturing the pulse of modern life. It remains a significant piece of French artistic output from the late nineteenth century. The ability of the artist to distill Bernhardt's performance into a single, compelling image cemented his reputation as the foremost chronicler of Parisian theater. This impression, characteristic of the iconic works produced by Toulouse-Lautrec, is held in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art, serving as an important resource for the study of late 19th-century artistic and theatrical history. Prints such as this, produced in limited editions, are highly valued, though many now reside in the public domain, ensuring wide accessibility to this crucial moment in art history.
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