Yvette Guilbert Intoxicated

Yvette Guilbert Intoxicated, created by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in 1898, is a highly characteristic example of his work documenting the Parisian Belle Époque. This fine art lithograph captures the famed French singer and cabaret star Yvette Guilbert, who was instantly recognizable by her unique performance style and trademark long black gloves. Toulouse-Lautrec was masterful in his application of the print medium, utilizing the nuanced tonal range and quick linearity of the lithographic process to achieve a feeling of immediate, unguarded observation.

The work belongs to a substantial series of images by the artist focusing on Guilbert, one of the most prominent cultural figures in late nineteenth-century France. While Lautrec often depicted the public spectacle of the city’s dance halls and theaters, this particular piece suggests a deeper, more intimate psychological study. The title implies a state of vulnerability or abandon, moving beyond the persona and reflecting Toulouse-Lautrec’s relentless pursuit of realism within the entertainment world of Montmartre.

Toulouse-Lautrec's prolific creation of prints was instrumental in making his dynamic, influential aesthetic widely accessible during his lifetime. The widespread proliferation of these graphic works solidified his status as the premier visual chronicler of modern urban life. This important piece of French cultural documentation currently resides in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Due to its age, this artwork, like many other significant late nineteenth-century prints, is often made available through public domain initiatives, allowing for broader study of the artist's pioneering approach to portraiture and the lithograph medium.