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’s 1894 lithograph titled Yvette Guilbert is executed in a muted olive‑green palette. The print portrays the celebrated French chanteuse seated, her posture composed and her gaze lowered, conveying a moment of quiet introspection. The work exemplifies the artist’s sustained interest in the personalities of Parisian nightlife during the Belle Époque.
Subject & Meaning
The figure represented is Yvette Guilbert, a prominent cabaret performer known for her distinctive vocal style and stage presence. By depicting her in a restrained, contemplative pose rather than in a theatrical setting, the image suggests an intimate glimpse behind the public persona, emphasizing personal poise over performative flamboyance.
Technique & Style
Created with lithographic printing on paper, the image relies on the medium’s capacity for subtle tonal variation. The olive‑green ink yields a warm, unified background that merges with the dark dress, while delicate line work defines the sitter’s facial features and the texture of her clothing, producing a sense of depth within a relatively flat surface.
History & Provenance
The print was produced in 1894, a period when Toulouse‑Lautrec was actively documenting the entertainment world of Montmartre. It entered the artist’s oeuvre alongside numerous portraits of cabaret figures, reflecting his close connections with the performers he depicted. The work has since circulated through private collections and museum holdings specializing in 19th‑century French prints.
Context
Toulouse‑Lautrec’s personal history—marked by a childhood injury that limited his physical growth—steered him toward the vibrant social scenes of Parisian cafés and music halls. His familiarity with these venues granted him access to subjects like Guilbert, allowing him to capture the interplay between public spectacle and private demeanor that characterized the era’s cultural life.
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.
