Yvette Guilbert-English Series

The print Yvette Guilbert-English Series is a significant late work by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, created in 1898. This piece is a lithograph, one of the crucial prints produced by the French artist during the final decade of the 19th century, a period when he redefined the potential of graphic arts. Classified formally as a book or portfolio, the work demonstrates Toulouse-Lautrec’s dedication to reproductive media and his mastery of capturing movement and personality through quick, economic lines.

Toulouse-Lautrec developed a deep professional fascination with the famous café-concert performer Yvette Guilbert, who was a defining figure of the Parisian entertainment scene. The subject of numerous works by the artist, Guilbert is typically depicted emphasizing her signature long black gloves and sharp facial expressions, capturing the ephemeral quality of live performance in fin-de-siècle France. This specific lithograph series was intended for wider circulation, highlighting the role of graphic arts in disseminating images of celebrity across Europe.

The precision required to translate the artist's drawings into fine art prints is evident in the quality of the line work, which often blends caricature with profound psychological insight. As a foundational piece of Modern graphic design, this type of lithograph profoundly influenced subsequent artists who worked in poster design and illustration. This exemplary record of late 19th-century French culture resides in the permanent collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Because of the historical impact and age of the work, high-quality images of these important prints are frequently available through public domain art initiatives.