Yvette Guilbert-French Series: No. 8

"Yvette Guilbert-French Series: No. 8" is a defining lithograph created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1894. This striking portrait is one piece from a series of prints the artist devoted to the famed Parisian cabaret star Yvette Guilbert, often published as a limited edition book or portfolio. The artwork utilizes the lithographic medium, known for its immediacy and expressive potential, which Toulouse-Lautrec mastered to capture the unique energy of fin de siècle France. As a key document of late 19th-century French performance culture, the piece exemplifies the artist’s commitment to documenting the lives of entertainers.

Toulouse-Lautrec often depicted Guilbert, recognizing her powerful stage presence and signature visual style, which typically included long black gloves. Here, the artist employs swift, suggestive lines rather than detailed realism, focusing on the essential character and movement of the subject. This approach cemented Toulouse-Lautrec's reputation not only as a masterful portraitist but as the leading chronicler of bohemian life. The work demonstrates the artist's ability to translate rapid sketches into high-quality prints, bridging the gap between fine art and popular illustration. This particular impression of Yvette Guilbert-French Series: No. 8 resides in the esteemed collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it serves as a crucial example of innovative printmaking techniques applied to commercial and cultural illustration during the period.