May Milton

"May Milton" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec French, 1864-1901, is a key color lithograph created in 1895. This work demonstrates the artist's sophisticated command of the print medium, utilizing the vibrant hues and textural qualities of lithography on cream wove paper to capture the kinetic energy of fin-de-siècle Parisian entertainment. Unlike traditional painting, the lithographic process allowed Toulouse-Lautrec to produce widely distributable prints, effectively bridging the gap between fine art and commercial advertisement in France.

The subject of the work is the English dancer May Milton, one of the many colorful figures from the cabarets and music halls of Montmartre whose likeness 1864-1901 frequently immortalized. Toulouse-Lautrec employed a distinctive graphic style, emphasizing bold contours and dynamic compositions influenced by Japanese woodblock prints, to convey the fleeting movements and atmosphere of the stage. Many of his prints function as critical historical records of performers and venues, cementing the artist’s reputation as the definitive visual chronicler of modern urban life in 1890s Paris.

Classified simply as a print, this artwork remains an iconic example of the poster art movement that flourished during this period in France. The exceptional technical quality of this color lithograph ensures its continued study by scholars and admirers. This specific impression is part of the extensive modern collection at the Art Institute of Chicago, contributing to the museum's renowned holdings of French works on paper. As is often the case with significant historical prints, the underlying imagery may now be available for educational reproduction in the public domain.