Yvette Guilbert-English Series: Linger Longer Loo

Yvette Guilbert-English Series: Linger Longer Loo is a highly characteristic work by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, created in 1898. Classified as a Book illustration, this particular artwork is a lithograph, demonstrating the artist’s prolific embrace of printmaking techniques late in his career. The lithographic process allowed Toulouse-Lautrec to quickly disseminate images of his primary subject: the famous French cabaret singer, Yvette Guilbert. She was known globally for her satirical songs, expressive gestures, and signature long black gloves.

This piece belongs to a specific series dedicated to Guilbert’s international fame, capturing the energy and distinct personality that defined the Parisian Belle Époque scene. Toulouse-Lautrec’s commitment to capturing the nuances of the entertainment world cemented his status as the premier chronicler of fin-de-siècle society in France. Unlike his large-scale posters, the relative intimacy of this print, intended for a bound publication, offers a closer observation of the performer’s dynamic stage presence.

Toulouse-Lautrec expertly used the medium to render simplified yet effective portraits, emphasizing Guilbert’s stylized movements and costume. The accessibility of the print medium facilitated the widespread distribution of the artist's work, ensuring that images of performers like Guilbert endured beyond their immediate stage runs. Today, high-quality prints stemming from this era are often available to wider audiences through collections entering the public domain. This specific impression of Yvette Guilbert-English Series: Linger Longer Loo is maintained within the permanent collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.