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May Belfort | musefully
Toulouse-Lautrec, Henri de. May Belfort, 1895. oil on millboard, Sheet: 62.5 x 48.2 cm (24 5/8 x 19 in.); Framed: 86 x 71.5 x 8.9 cm (33 7/8 x 28 1/8 x 3 1/2 in.). Bequest of Leonard C. Hanna, Jr., 1958.54. CC0.
May Belfort
1895
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (French, 1864–1901)
Drawings
May Belfort, 1895. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (French, 1864–1901). Oil on millboard; sheet: 62.5 x 48.2 cm (24 5/8 x 19 in.); framed: 86 x 71.5 x 8.9 cm (33 7/8 x 28 1/8 x 3 1/2 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Bequest of Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. 1958.54 Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was inspired by café concerts, popular places of Parisian entertainment that featured singers or other performers. This drawing depicts May Belfort, one such entertainer, who the artist discovered in 1895 during a visit to the popular nightclub Les Décadents. Belfort soon became one of Lautrec's favorite models and is seen here wearing the ruffled dress and bonnet that became a signature of her performances. The singer adopted a babyish voice and stood motionless on the stage, encouraging her fans to shout lyrics along with her. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec depicted May Belfort in numerous prints, drawings, posters, and paintings.