Yvette Guilbert-English Series: Pessima

The work Yvette Guilbert-English Series: Pessima by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, created in 1898, is a significant example of French fin-de-siècle printmaking. Executed as a lithograph, this piece reflects Lautrec's profound engagement with the performing arts of the era. The classification as a "Book" indicates that this print was originally issued as part of a formal portfolio or illustrated publication dedicated to the artist's favored subjects.

Toulouse-Lautrec was the leading graphic chronicler of Montmartre's nightlife, renowned for his ability to capture the psychological depth and characteristic gestures of the entertainers he observed. The subject of the print is Yvette Guilbert, the celebrated cabaret star whose dramatic delivery and signature long black gloves captivated audiences in France and internationally. Lautrec often portrayed Guilbert using sharp, reductive lines and a graphic style that blurred the boundaries between high art and commercial illustration, effectively elevating the medium of the lithograph. This particular image, designated Pessima (meaning 'worst' or 'very bad' in Latin), suggests a specific, perhaps melancholic or severe, pose chosen by the artist for this English series dedicated to the singer.

This definitive lithograph resides in the extensive collection of prints held by the Cleveland Museum of Art. The powerful, observational depiction evident in Yvette Guilbert-English Series: Pessima showcases Toulouse-Lautrec's unique artistic perspective on celebrity culture. As a late 19th-century work from the French avant-garde, this piece remains a cornerstone example of modern graphic arts, and high-quality prints of this public domain masterwork continue to be studied globally.