Plate 8 (in-text plate, folio 11) from Yvette Guilbert

Plate 8 (in-text plate, folio 11) from Yvette Guilbert by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec is a significant component of the illustrated book published in 1894. This piece is one of seventeen lithographs, including the cover, that comprise the complete volume dedicated to the celebrated French singer and dancer Yvette Guilbert. The technique of lithography allowed Toulouse-Lautrec to capture the expressive energy and often satirical nature of his subject with a fluid immediacy, distinguishing his approach from the more formal art produced during the period.

Created at the height of the artist’s engagement with Parisian cabaret culture, the lithographs in the book exemplify Toulouse-Lautrec's mastery of the graphic arts. Though often associated primarily with poster design, the format of the illustrated book allowed the artist to produce more intimate and serialized studies of his muse. Guilbert, famous for her dramatic stage presence, distinctive long black gloves, and provocative songs, was a defining figure of fin de siècle performance and a frequent subject for the artist. Toulouse-Lautrec used sharp observation and minimal line work to convey his subjects' personality and often raw theatricality, avoiding conventional flattery. The book functions as a striking visual biography, capturing Guilbert across various performance poses and moods as she dominated the French stage in 1894.

The classification of this artwork as an Illustrated Book highlights the collaborative and commercial nature of printmaking in the 1890s. The enduring appeal of this body of work has made these historical prints highly collectible and instrumental in documenting the vibrancy of French nightlife. This specific impression of Yvette Guilbert resides within the comprehensive collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), recognizing its importance both within the history of modern graphic arts and the development of serialized illustration. The portfolio remains a powerful and incisive visual record of late nineteenth-century performance art.