May Belfort, from Treize Lithographies

May Belfort, from Treize Lithographies by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (French, 1864-1901), is a masterful example of the lithographic process from 1898. This particular print, rendered on ivory laid paper, showcases the artist’s distinctive graphic style that merged fine art sensibilities with the raw energy of popular entertainment. Classified simply as a print, the work belongs to a notable suite of images that further established Toulouse-Lautrec as the premier visual chronicler of Parisian nightlife at the close of the 19th century.

Lautrec was deeply embedded in the cabaret culture of Montmartre, France, and frequently chose performers as his primary subjects. May Belfort, a popular British music-hall singer known for her deliberately naive, childlike stage persona often contrasted with her suggestive songs, was a recurring figure in the artist's output. The image captures the performer with striking simplicity and elegance, demonstrating the artist’s characteristic use of broad planes of color and sharp, economical line work typical of his late career. These prints were pivotal in establishing the graphic arts as a legitimate, reproducible medium suitable for serious artistic expression, moving them beyond the confines of mere advertising posters.

Created just three years before the artist’s premature death, May Belfort represents the mature phase of Lautrec’s printmaking endeavors. The decision to execute the series Treize Lithographies in 1898 highlights the ongoing public demand for his graphic works. This important historical document is housed in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it serves as a key example of French fin-de-siècle art. As the work is often made accessible through high-quality prints, its presence in the public domain ensures that this essential piece of modern art history remains widely studied.