Her stage name was also the name of a boisterous popular dance, similar to the can-can, which came from the French words "chahut", meaning "noise" and "chaos".

The artist was fascinated by this woman who dared to choose the classic male profession of clowning and was not afraid to openly declare that she was a lesbian.

Little is known about her life, including her real name, though she was a gymnast before she worked as a Parisian female clown or "clownesse."

During her time as a gymnast, Maurice Guilbert photographed her, capturing her younger self that contrasted with Toulouse-Lautrec's later depictions.

[3][4] Her clown performances included a "distinctive black-and-yellow costume with her hair piled up on her head[.