Yvette Guilbert-French Series: No. 4

Yvette Guilbert-French Series: No. 4 is a lithograph created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1894. This highly celebrated example of fin-de-siècle graphic arts belongs to a distinct series dedicated to the famous French performer Yvette Guilbert. As a lithograph, this piece reflects Toulouse-Lautrec’s deep engagement with the rapidly expanding commercial prints culture in France, where reproductive technologies allowed his distinctive, modern style to reach a broad audience beyond elite patrons. The artist was renowned for capturing the vibrant, often cynical, essence of Parisian nightlife and its most recognizable figures, transforming the utilitarian function of promotional prints into high art.

The subject of the work is the cabaret star Yvette Guilbert, who famously cultivated an image based on her long, black gloves and dramatic, expressive gestures. Toulouse-Lautrec often employed stark lines and simplified compositions to emphasize the performer’s psychological intensity rather than just her glamorous exterior. Although the complete Yvette Guilbert-French Series was intended for publication as a book or portfolio, many individual prints circulated widely, contributing to the star’s international celebrity.

Toulouse-Lautrec’s preference for lithography enabled him to work quickly and distribute images efficiently, contrasting the static formality of traditional portraiture. This particular impression, executed using the delicate technical processes of the medium, showcases the artist’s skill in manipulating texture and tone to create depth. It captures the fleeting moment of performance, characteristic of the artist's instantaneous, reportorial style. This essential document of 19th-century French culture is housed within the prestigious collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.