Sybil Sanderson from Portraits of Actors and Actresses: Thirteen Lithographs (Portraits d'Acteurs & Actrices: Treize Lithographies) Sybil Sanderson from Portraits of Actors and Actresses: Thirteen Lithographs (Portraits d'Acteurs & Actrices: Treize Lithographies)

Sybil Sanderson from Portraits of Actors and Actresses: Thirteen Lithographs (Portraits d'Acteurs & Actrices: Treize Lithographies) Sybil Sanderson from Portraits of Actors and Actresses: Thirteen Lithographs (Portraits d'Acteurs & Actrices: Treize Lithographies) is a significant print created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1898. This piece is one component of a larger collection, Portraits of Actors and Actresses: Thirteen Lithographs, a portfolio designed to capture the notable stage personalities who dominated late 19th-century Parisian entertainment. Toulouse-Lautrec consistently utilized the medium of lithography throughout his career, appreciating its capacity for immediate expression and widespread dissemination, which helped define his modern approach to graphic arts.

The subject, Sybil Sanderson (1864-1903), was an American soprano who achieved massive celebrity in French opera, particularly known for roles in the works of Jules Massenet. Toulouse-Lautrec, a dedicated observer of the vibrant nightlife and entertainment figures of the fin de siècle era, focused his energy on documenting the performance environment. This work demonstrates his remarkable ability to distill personality and stage presence through economical line and simplified form. As a key figure in post-Impressionist graphic production, Toulouse-Lautrec championed the use of the print medium to engage directly with popular culture in 1898, establishing an intimacy with his celebrity subjects rarely seen in traditional French portraiture.

Classified specifically as a lithograph, the work reflects the artist's mature style during this period, emphasizing spontaneity over formal detail. Unlike his highly stylized posters, the individual lithographs within the Portraits portfolio, including the image of Sanderson, offer candid, almost backstage views of performers. This focus on the individual behind the public persona highlights Toulouse-Lautrec’s unique contribution to modern documentation. The importance of this print to the artist’s oeuvre and the historical record of French performance is cemented by its inclusion in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).