Yvette Guilbert on the Stage, from Yvette Guilbert

Yvette Guilbert on the Stage, from Yvette Guilbert by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec French, 1864-1901, is a masterful example of fin-de-siècle printmaking and portraiture. Created in 1898, this work utilizes the medium of lithography, specifically employing a subtle beige tint stone on ivory laid paper. This careful technical approach demonstrates Lautrec’s command over the complex process, allowing him to achieve nuanced tones while maintaining the graphic clarity essential to his style.

This piece captures the celebrated cabaret singer Yvette Guilbert, a figure Lautrec revisited repeatedly throughout his career. Guilbert, known for her distinctive stage presence, is shown in performance, recognizable by her iconic long black gloves. Lautrec specialized in documenting the vibrant, often raw, nightlife of Montmartre in Paris, France. His prints served both as fine art and as innovative advertisements, blurring the boundaries between high art and commercial graphic design. The artist uses simplified, kinetic lines and high contrast to convey the energy of the performance and the isolating quality of the stage lighting.

As a lithograph classification print, this type of graphic work was instrumental in disseminating the imagery of Toulouse-Lautrec widely during his lifetime and after. The work belongs to a set dedicated entirely to the performer, highlighting the artist’s deep engagement with the entertainment stars of the Parisian scene. This significant impression resides in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Given its age and cultural importance, high-quality images of this French master's prints are frequently made available through public domain initiatives, ensuring global access to the output of this pivotal Post-Impressionist figure.