Sarah Bernhardt Reclining on a Divan, Reading

About the Artwork

Perhaps the most famous actress in the history of the theater, Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923) was one of the most magnetic personalities of her time and was known by her adoring fans as "the Divine Sarah." Jules Clairin was the favored portraitist of the actress, and depicted her in various roles in more than 100 paintings. In this intimate drawing, the international idol is depicted off stage, probably in her exotically decorated Parisian atelier that overflowed with lush palms, patterned carpets, fringed throws, and Asian bibelots. Quiet in her reverie, the reclining Bernhardt is supported by a tiger skin, the drama of her life momentarily voiced by the roaring animal.

Inscriptions

inscribed in blue ink, lower left: "J-. Clairin (artist's stamp) (Lugt 448)

Provenance

G. Clairin (estate stamp [Lugt 448], lower left, in purple ink); Shepherd Gallery, New York, April 1977. Muriel Butkin estate

Exhibition history

Mary Cassatt and the Feminine Ideal in 19th-Century Paris. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (October 14, 2012-January 20, 2013).

Quick Overview

Artist: Georges-Jules-Victor Clairin (French, 1843–1919)
Date: c. 1885–1890
Medium: Graphite with lead white heightening
Dimensions: Sheet: 24.3 x 38.8 cm (9 9/16 x 15 1/4 in.)
Type: Drawing
Classification: Drawing
Department: Drawings
Credit line: Bequest of Muriel Butkin
Accession no.: 2009.118

Data retrieved from the Cleveland Museum of Art on October 8, 2026. The museum may have updated its record since.