Yvette Guilbert (recto) Three-Quarter Length Study of Yvette Guilbert (verso)

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec's double-sided study "Yvette Guilbert (recto) Three-Quarter Length Study of Yvette Guilbert (verso)" (c. 1894) is a graphite drawing on ivory wove paper, showing two studies of the celebrated singer on the two sides of the same sheet. The recto shows Guilbert in a pose that emphasizes her characteristic long neck and elegant profile, the graphite lines defining her features with Lautrec's characteristic economy. The verso shows a three-quarter length study, capturing more of her figure and costume. The double-sided nature of this sheet is particularly valuable, showing Lautrec working through different aspects of the same subject on a single support, exploring different poses and compositional possibilities. Yvette Guilbert was one of Lautrec's favorite subjects, and he produced dozens of portraits of her in various media. This double-sided study offers a concentrated example of his engagement with her image, showing him capturing the singer from different angles and in different poses, always with the same sharp eye for character and the same economical, expressive line.

Lautrec's multiple studies of the same subject demonstrate his method of working, exploring a subject through repeated observation until he had captured its essence from every angle.

This double-sided study of Yvette Guilbert shows Lautrec exploring the singer's image from different angles, the economical graphite line capturing her distinctive elegance and stage presence with remarkable directness.