Miss May Belfort at the Bar Achille

Miss May Belfort at the Bar Achille by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec French, 1864-1901, is a significant color lithograph created in 1895, capturing the vibrant milieu of Parisian nightlife. This piece showcases Toulouse-Lautrec’s mastery of the estampe (print), elevating the reproducible medium from commercial advertising to fine art. Executed on cream wove paper, the lithograph utilizes bold forms and a restricted palette, characteristics that define the artist’s distinctive style and his commitment to the art of the poster. The technique of color lithography allowed Toulouse-Lautrec to reproduce the immediacy and energy he observed in the cafes and music halls of Montmartre.

The work features May Belfort, a popular Irish singer of the period, situated candidly within a social setting, likely the Bar Achille. Toulouse-Lautrec was unmatched in his ability to capture the essence of these performers and patrons, making his prints invaluable records of 1890s culture in France. His observational approach, defined by swift lines and expressive contours, reflected the era’s fascination with urban psychology and marginalized figures. This important print, classified within the Art Institute of Chicago’s permanent collection, highlights the technical and narrative achievements of the artist. As a leading figure in post-Impressionist graphic arts, Toulouse-Lautrec's contributions ensure that works like this are frequently cited by scholars, often entering the public domain to provide broad access to his pioneering achievements in the realm of modern prints.