Artwork

Portraits of Actors and Actresses: Thirteen Lithographs: Sarah Bernhardt

Portraits of Actors and Actresses: Thirteen Lithographs: Sarah Bernhardt is a print by the Impressionist artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. It dates from 1898 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Portraits of Actors and Actresses: Thirteen Lithographs: Sarah Bernhardt is a 1898 lithograph by French artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, featuring a portrait of the renowned actress Sarah Bernhardt.

Subject & Meaning

The work depicts Sarah Bernhardt in a contemplative profile, her face blurred and directed to the left, conveying a sense of introspection. As part of a series on theatrical figures, it reflects Toulouse-Lautrec's ties to Paris's bohemian and theatrical circles.

Technique & Style

Executed in lithograph, the piece showcases Toulouse-Lautrec's expressive use of loose brushstrokes for the dress, soft curves for hair, and a contrast between a light background and darker, suggestive forms, though the described 'blurred face' and 'brushstrokes' may indicate a mix of lithographic technique and interpretive description.

History & Provenance

Created in 1898, the lithograph is characteristic of Toulouse-Lautrec's late 19th-century output, which often captured Paris's vibrant nightlife and theatrical personalities. Specific provenance details are not provided.

Context

This work is set within the broader context of Toulouse-Lautrec's fascination with Parisian nightlife and his association with bohemian and theatrical communities, influencing his artistic focus on such figures as Sarah Bernhardt.

Artist & collection

Artist

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

Comte Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec-Montfa (24 November 1864 – 9 September 1901), known as Toulouse-Lautrec (French: ), was a French painter, printmaker, draughtsman, caricaturist, and illustrator.