Miss Loïe Fuller

Henri Toulouse-Lautrec's unique vision of Miss Loïe Fuller's dazzling performance of her signature 'Serpentine Dance' - performed at the Parisian music hall the Folies-Bergère - is best captured in the present lithograph. The young American dancer's stationary form is barely discernible amid the swirling waves of billowing silk which reflect a vivid range of colours emanating from electric coloured lights. This striking interpretation embodies a radiance and ethereal beauty that distinguishes it from popular renditions of Miss Fuller by other contemporary artists such as Jules Chéret and François-Raoul Larche. It is in fact Toulouse-Lautrec's first non-poster color lithograph.
The dramatic contour of her gown silhouetted against the shadowy stage and the subtle effects of the dappled colours are enhanced by the addition of gold power applied directly by the artist, as he individually coloured each impression. Toulouse-Lautrec envisioned his muse from the audience's perspective, thereby heightening the sense of spectacle and drawing attention to his own role as a flâneur of modern Parisian life.