May Milton

May Milton is a powerful 1895 lithograph created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, cementing his reputation as the foremost chronicler of late 19th-century Parisian life. This specific impression, a key piece within the extensive prints collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, was expertly printed in five colors on machine wove paper, showcasing the technical mastery Toulouse-Lautrec brought to commercial art forms.

Toulouse-Lautrec was deeply engaged with the technical possibilities of printmaking, utilizing the vibrant hues and broad, graphic planes inherent in the lithographic process to capture the fleeting, energetic atmosphere of the Belle Époque. The subject of the work is May Milton, an English dancer known for her performances in the vibrant cabarets and music halls of Montmartre.

Like many of the women depicted by Toulouse-Lautrec, Milton is portrayed candidly, often outside the idealizing conventions typically found in traditional portraiture. The artist’s dedication to this form of documentary realism is evident in the dynamic composition of the piece. The choice of the lithograph as a primary artistic output allowed the artist to disseminate images of these performers widely, cementing their status as celebrities of the era. The work, particularly classified among important prints of the period, stands as a critical record of the social stratum of professional performers in Paris. The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s impression of May Milton exemplifies the radical shift in art toward capturing popular culture and modern urban experience.