"Yvette Guilbert" is a defining lithograph created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec French, 1864-1901 in 1894. The work, executed on ivory laid paper, utilizes the combined methods of lithography and letterpress. This technical choice is characteristic of the period, demonstrating the merging of fine art printmaking with commercial graphic design, which Lautrec championed throughout his career.
As a masterful observer of the Belle Époque in France, Lautrec specialized in capturing the raw energy and psychological complexity of performers dominating the Parisian nightlife. The subject, Yvette Guilbert, was a celebrated chanson singer known for her witty, often sardonic, delivery and her trademark long black gloves. Lautrec’s stark draftsmanship focuses keenly on her distinctive stage presence, using minimal lines to evoke her profile and exaggerated expression. The deliberate lack of background detail centers the viewer’s attention entirely on the figure, a technique that highlights her celebrity status.
This powerful print stands as a prime example of how Lautrec elevated the status of graphic arts. His engagement with lithography ensured that works like Yvette Guilbert could be widely distributed, bringing cutting-edge French art to a broader public. Today, the enduring popularity of Lautrec's prints ensures that many high-resolution images of this work are available via public domain collections worldwide. This significant piece of graphic history is permanently held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.
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