Artwork
Yvette Guilbert
Yvette Guilbert is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. It dates from 1894 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec created this lithograph in 1894, employing a uniform olive‑green hue. The print portrays the celebrated French chanteuse Yvette Guilbert, a figure who frequently appeared in the artist’s oeuvre, especially in works that document the entertainment world of late‑19th‑century Paris.
Subject & Meaning
Yvette Guilbert, known for her distinctive stage presence and vocal style, stands in profile with a slight forward lean. Though her body is rendered in a simplified silhouette, her face is directed toward the viewer, suggesting an intimate engagement that reflects her status as a beloved performer of the era.
Technique & Style
The lithograph relies on a single, muted olive‑green pigment, giving the image a sketch‑like quality. Rough, swift lines convey the figure’s contours, while the background is reduced to a faint, undefined space, emphasizing the immediacy of the drawing and Lautrec’s preference for expressive, economical mark‑making.
History & Provenance
Produced during a prolific period when Lautrec was documenting the nightlife of Montmartre, the work was likely intended for circulation among the artist’s circle of collectors and admirers. Its creation follows the artist’s adoption of lithography as a primary medium for quickly capturing the personalities of Parisian performers.
Context
Lautrec’s aristocratic background and physical disability, resulting from adolescent leg injuries, directed his focus toward the vibrant world of cafés, cabarets, and music halls. This lithograph fits within a broader series that records the theatrical milieu, where Guilbert was a recurring subject.
Legacy
The image exemplifies Lautrec’s contribution to modern printmaking, demonstrating how a limited palette and gestural line can convey both likeness and atmosphere. It remains a reference point for studies of visual culture surrounding fin‑de‑siècle French entertainment.
Artist & collection
Artist
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.
