Yvette Guilbert

Yvette Guilbert is a significant 1894 lithograph created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (French, 1864-1901). Executed using the complex process of lithography combined with letterpress on ivory laid paper, this print exemplifies Lautrec's mastery of commercial printmaking techniques. This graphic classification reflects the burgeoning market for accessible prints and posters in fin-de-siècle France, a period when mass-produced graphics became defining features of modern Parisian life and cultural promotion.

Lautrec became renowned for his candid depictions of the entertainment world, particularly the dancers and performers of Montmartre. The subject, the iconic chansonnière Yvette Guilbert, was instantly recognizable due to her signature long black gloves and expressive, often dramatic, stage presence. This piece captures her essence, demonstrating the artist's ability to render personality with minimal lines and highly stylized forms. The composition, typical of the era's promotional graphics, serves both as artistic portraiture and cultural commentary on the bustling nightlife of 19th-century France. Lautrec produced several studies and prints featuring Guilbert throughout the 1890s, cementing her status as one of his most important muses and defining figures in the history of modern French prints.

As a key example of graphic art from the French fin-de-siècle, this original impression of Yvette Guilbert provides invaluable insight into the era's artistic and social landscape. This acclaimed work is preserved in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it contributes to the museum’s extensive holdings of late 19th-century master prints. Due to its age and historical importance, high-resolution versions of this influential work are sometimes made available through institutional public domain initiatives, allowing broader study of Lautrec's revolutionary graphic output.