Miss Loïe Fuller

The iconic print Miss Loïe Fuller was created in 1893 by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, André Marty, and Edouard Ancourt. This seminal piece is a color lithograph executed on wove paper, classifying it as a significant French print from the highly influential period of 1876 to 1900. The work captures the revolutionary American dancer Loïe Fuller, who had captivated audiences across Paris with her innovative stage performances.

Fuller redefined contemporary dance by utilizing voluminous silk costumes and pioneering the use of electric lighting and projection techniques, transforming her routines into moving sculptures of color and light. The combined efforts of the artists aimed to distill the kinetic energy and luminous quality of her renowned Serpentine Dance. While Toulouse-Lautrec is frequently credited with the original design and conception, the roles of Marty and Ancourt, likely the printer or publisher, were crucial in executing the complex color registration required for such a dynamic image.

The production of high-quality, widely distributed prints became a signature characteristic of the French fin-de-siècle, serving both as high art and commercial advertisement. Ancourt’s masterful rendition of the swirling fabric and diffused light embodies the Art Nouveau style, characterized by organic lines and a focus on movement. This type of collaborative printmaking allowed cutting-edge aesthetics to reach the wider public sphere.

This celebrated work is maintained in the extensive collection of prints at the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C., where it is referenced as a defining example of Belle Époque graphic design. Its historical importance means that high-resolution images of this piece are often made available through public domain initiatives, allowing for widespread academic study of this critical juncture in art history.