May Belfort
1895
Color lithograph on tan wove paper
79.8 × 60 cm (31.4 × 23.6 in)
SEE IT IN PERSON
Not currently on view
In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026
Discussion
FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG
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.
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