Réjane and Galipaux, in Madame Sans-Gêne

Art Historical Context

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, a leading French Post-Impressionist artist renowned for his vivid portrayals of Parisian entertainment, produced this color lithograph in 1893. It captures actress Réjane and actor Galipaux in a scene from the hit play *Madame Sans-Gêne*, reflecting Lautrec’s deep ties to the theater world of Belle Époque Paris. His works often immortalized performers and performances, blending commercial poster art with fine artistic expression. Lautrec excelled in color lithography, a printmaking technique that enabled bold lines, flattened forms, and dynamic color to convey movement and personality. This medium allowed him to disseminate theatrical energy beyond the stage, making celebrities like Réjane accessible to a broader public. The print exemplifies his innovative approach, turning ephemeral stage moments into lasting cultural documents. Now in the Art Institute of Chicago’s Prints and Drawings collection, the work highlights late-19th-century fascination with theater, celebrity, and Napoleonic-era stories. It invites viewers to appreciate how Lautrec elevated everyday cultural spectacles into art that still resonates with its wit and vitality.

About the Artist

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec · 1864–1901

Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec-Montfa (1864-1901) was a French Post-Impressionist painter, printmaker, and illustrator whose innovative poster designs revolutionized graphic art and advertising in late 19th-century Paris. Born into an aristocratic family at Albi in southern France, Toulouse-Lautrec's privileged lineage traced back to the Counts of Toulouse and extended uninterrupted to th...