Plate 10 (in-text plate, folio 13) from Yvette Guilbert
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
French, 1864–1901
1894
A printed page from an illustrated book by Toulouse‑Lautrec that pairs French text with a spare lithographic sketch of a tall, stylized female performer in long gloves, the artist aiming to evoke her stage persona with economical line and a single dark wash.
What strikes you is the contrast between the dense, orderly body of text and the loose, almost unfinished figure to the right—vertical, elongated strokes and a bold, inky shape for the gloves make the image feel both present and ephemeral.
This sheet shows how late‑19th‑century lithography fused image and text to shape modern ideas of celebrity and graphic design, helping to define the visual language of Parisian nightlife and influencing poster art.
Medium
One from an illustrated book with seventeen lithographs (including cover)
Dimensions
composition (irreg.): 9 3/4 x 3 9/16" (24.8 x 9cm); page (each): 15 1/16 x 15 3/16" (38.3 x 38.5 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
The Louis E. Stern Collection
Accession
1066.1964.11
Palette
Exhibitions
