At the Théâtre de la Renaissance: Sarah Bernhardt in Phèdre

Description

Sarah Bernhardt sits in a dark gown at the right of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s theater scene, with an attendant at the left. The neighboring figures make the stage appearance tangible through their differing positions. Identified as Bernhardt in Phèdre at the Théâtre de la Renaissance, the subject joins a named performer to a particular dramatic role and occasion.

Made in 1893, the lithograph combines crayon, brush and spatter and is printed in black on wove paper. Toulouse-Lautrec gives the stage appearance a lasting form, allowing the particular encounter to be considered beyond the performance’s passing duration. Its interest lies in the relation between a person and a role, where a familiar name can gain another character within a dramatic world. The work makes theater engaging through a concentrated human subject rather than spectacle alone.

Read our guide to giclée prints or browse the Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec collection.