Paula Brébion, from Le Café-Concert

Paula Brébion, from Le Café-Concert by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (French, 1864-1901) is a seminal work created in 1893, capturing the electric atmosphere of Parisian nightlife. This piece is a masterful example of a color lithograph on ivory wove paper, showcasing the artist’s groundbreaking approach to printmaking. Produced in collaboration with the printers Edward Ancourt & Cie and published by the influential journal L'Estampe originale, the work reflects the growing popularity and artistic acceptance of limited-edition prints in late 19th-century France.

Toulouse-Lautrec dedicated much of his career to documenting the performers and patrons of Montmartre’s entertainment venues, elevating the café-concert scene to a serious subject of modern art. In this color lithograph, the artist utilizes stark outlines and flat planes of vibrant color, typical of his mature style influenced by Japanese woodcuts and Impressionism. The bold technique effectively conveys the artificial lighting and theatricality associated with figures like Paula Brébion, one of the many stage personalities the artist immortalized. Toulouse-Lautrec’s work defined the visual aesthetics of fin-de-siècle France, offering intimate, unvarnished portraits rather than idealized representations.

As a key figure in Post-Impressionist France, the artist’s lithographs are cornerstones of major international collections. This specific impression resides in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Given the age and historical significance of the image, the work is now often available in the public domain, ensuring scholars and enthusiasts worldwide can access and study these iconic prints of Parisian modernity.