Yvette Guilbert

The artwork Yvette Guilbert is a celebrated color lithograph created in 1894 by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec French, 1864-1901. Executed as a print on ivory laid paper, this piece exemplifies the artist’s mastery of graphic illustration and his indelible connection to the vibrant, hedonistic nightlife of the Montmartre district of Paris during the fin de siècle. As a leading figure in French Post-Impressionist graphic arts, Lautrec utilized the lithographic medium to produce impactful, widely distributed images that elevated the status of the commercial poster.

The subject is Yvette Guilbert, arguably the most distinctive and famous cabaret singer and dancer of her era. Guilbert was immediately recognizable by her spare silhouette, emotive hand gestures, and, most notably, the extremely long black opera gloves she habitually wore onstage. Toulouse-Lautrec frequently captured the performers of venues like the Moulin Rouge, creating portraits that were less formal illustrations and more penetrating psychological studies. This 1894 depiction captures Guilbert’s dramatic stage presence through the use of essential lines and a carefully restricted color palette, lending the work an immediacy and energy characteristic of his classification of prints.

The cultural context of late 19th-century France, defined by commercial growth and the spectacle of popular entertainment, provided rich material for Lautrec. His works helped define the visual aesthetic of the Belle Époque. This important example of French graphic art is held in the distinguished collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Because of the lasting historical significance of these works, high-resolution prints of Toulouse-Lautrec’s influential lithographs are frequently accessible through public domain art initiatives.