CC0 · no rights reserved
May Belfort
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
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.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineMay 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
