May Belfort
1895
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec French, 1864-1901
France
The scarlet dress of May Belfort splashes color onto this otherwise minimal composition. Clad in her signature oversized baby bonnet, the Irish actress clutches a black cat; Belfort often brought her cat to her performances and tended to “meow” her songs. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec intended for this poster to be hung, as it is in this gallery, next to his design for May Milton, an English performer who was Belfort’s close friend and rumored lover.
Color lithograph on tan wove paper