Description
THE STORY: Who Was Yvette Guilbert?
While most people recognize the name Toulouse-Lautrec, few know the woman who captivated his artistic vision for over a decade: Yvette Guilbert. She was more than a cabaret entertainer—she was the embodiment of Belle Époque cultural rebellion. The Original 1950 Yvette Guilbert Toulouse-Lautrec Lithographic Poster captures the artistic spirit and history of this remarkable collaboration.
In the 1880s and 1890s, Guilbert performed at the Moulin Rouge and other Parisian cabarets, where she redefined what performance art could be. Her signature black gloves, tragic-comic monologues, and ability to convey raw human emotion made her a phenomenon across Europe. She wasn’t beautiful by conventional standards—that was precisely why Lautrec chose her as his primary artistic subject. Her face told stories; her presence radiated vulnerability beneath theatrical artifice.
Why Lautrec’s Obsession Matters:
Toulouse-Lautrec depicted Yvette Guilbert more than any other single subject because she represented his core artistic philosophy: finding profound humanity in nightlife’s margins. Where other artists saw entertainment, Lautrec saw truth.
THE ARTWORK: “The Kiss”
This is a lithographed reproduction (1950) of a sketch Lautrec made circa 1900—a design never used as an original poster. The intimacy of this image captures Guilbert in a rare moment of tenderness, her expression conveying the duality that made her legendary: the performer’s mask and the human beneath it.
The sketch was created during Lautrec’s final years, when his artistic vision had reached its zenith. This particular composition—”The Kiss”—showcases his mastery of line work and psychological portraiture.
Artist: Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864–1901)
Original Sketch Date: Circa 1900
Medium: Chromolithograph (color lithographic process)
Book Plate Designation: XXXII (32)
Printing Edition: 1950s Mourlot Freres Book Collection
Size: 9.75″ × 12″
Original Format: Unbacked
Mounting: Professional acid-free conservation mounted
Backing: Archival linen backed
Condition: Excellent condition – professionally preserved
This 1950s bookplate printing represents one of the finest authorized reproductions of Lautrec’s work, produced by Mourlot Frères during the post-war revival of art book publishing. The archival linen backing ensures this piece will endure for generations while maintaining its original visual integrity.
Authenticated original poster from the most significant period of Belle Époque cultural history. This is not a mass-produced reprint—it is a carefully preserved artistic document that connects directly to one of history’s most important artist-subject relationships.
For collectors of vintage posters, antique posters, or students of Belle Époque history, this piece represents both artistic mastery and cultural documentation.
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