Thursday 6 October 2016

Belle Époque - part 8

The Belle Époque (the Beautiful Period) in France is conventionally dated from the end of the Franco-Prussian War in 1871 to the the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It was a period characterised by optimism, regional peace and economic prosperity, and of technological, scientific, and cultural innovation. Whilst showing key works from the Belle Epoque, I am including works from the fall-out of the period almost up to World War II, so as to put these works in context.

Artists in the late 1800s found opportunities to present their work to the masses through advertising art that began to appear as billboards and posters, plastering the streets of Paris. “Affiche Artistique” was the term that the French used to describe a poster that contained artistic expression.  The art was so impressive to the public, people began to collect the posters as soon as they went up, which is why they are so scarce today.  

Artists such as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Jules Chéret, Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen, and Alfred Choubrac, contributed to the creative body of work that became what some called  “a free museum for the masses”.  The craze for collecting these examples of modern art was even given the name, "affichomanie", meaning “artistic poster mania”.  Collectors today pay hundreds, if not thousands for original prints of these rare posters.

This is part 8 of a 9-part series on art of the Belle Epoque. For more works in the series see parts 1 - 7 also.



Jules-Alexandre Grün (1868 – 1934)


Jules-Alexandre Grün was a post-impressionist painter, illustrator and poster artist.  Born in Paris, Grün studied under Jean-Baptiste Lavastre, the theatrical director of the Paris Opera, and Antoine Guillemet, the noted landscape painter.  Grün was especially fond of painting scenes of Bohemian lifestyle.  He worked at the Chaix Printing Company where Jules Chéret was his art director.  Grün’s best known painting titled “The Dinner Party” was completed in 1911.

1893-94 Décadent’s Concert
poster by Jules-Alexandre Grün

1893-94 Divan Japonais, Strack Créations
poster by Jules-Alexandre Grün

1894 Le Carillon, Cabaret Artistique
poster by Jules-Alexandre Grün

1897 Bal du Déficit
poster by Jules-Alexandre Grün

1897 Le Grand Guignol
poster by Jules-Alexandre Grün

1897 Nouveau Théâtre, Vachalcade
poster by Jules-Alexandre Grün

1897 Trianon, Les Chansonniers de Montmartre
poster by Jules-Alexandre Grün

1897-98 Tournée Milo de Meyer
poster by Jules-Alexandre Grün

1898 La Cigale
poster by Jules-Alexandre Grün

1898 L’Ane Rouge
poster by Jules-Alexandre Grün

1899 La Bôite à Fursy
poster by Jules-Alexandre Grün

1899 La Chan­son de Mont­martre
poster by Jules-Alexandre Grün

1900 La Cigale
poster by Jules-Alexandre Grün

1901 Folies-Bergère, Napoli Ballet Pantomime
poster by Jules-Alexandre Grün

1901 Tréteau de Tabarin, La Bôite à Fursy
poster by Jules-Alexandre Grun

1903 Gaîté Rochechouart
poster by Jules-Alexandre Grün

1911 Friday at the French Artists' Salonby Jules-Alexandre Grün
 Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rouen

1913 The End of Dinner

A Cheer­ful Mont­martre Dweller
by Jules-Alexandre Grün

Casino de Paris, Réouverture
poster by Jules-Alexandre Grün

D’où Viennent-Ils? Du Tréteau De Tabarin
poster by Jules-Alexandre Grün

La Chanson à Montmartre
poster by Jules-Alexandre Grün

La Cigale, Allo!…Allo!…
poster by Jules-Alexandre Grün

La Pepiniere, oh! la la! mon empereur!
poster by Jules-Alexandre Grün

Où la Menent-Ils? "Au Violin"
poster by Jules-Alexandre Grün

Scala, La Revue de la Scala
poster by Jules-Alexandre Grün

Scala. Revue à Poilre
poster by Jules-Alexandre Grün

Théâtre du Moulin Rouge
poster by Jules-Alexandre Grün

Lucien Marie François Métivet (1863 - 1932)

Lucien Métivet (right) with Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec

Lucien Métivet was a French poster artist, cartoonist, illustrator, and author who achieved notoriety during the Belle Epoque. Best known for his 1893 poster of the chanteuse Eugénie Buffet, he was also a popular cover artist for the Parisian humour magazine "Le Rire" and a frequent contributor of cartoons and illustrations to it and other magazines. He illustrated books by a number of prominent authors of the time and wrote at least two books of his own.

1890 La Femme-Enfant
poster by Lucien Métivet

1891 A L'Hygiène
poster by Lucien Métivet

1893 Ambassadeurs, Eugénie Buffet
poster by Lucien Métivet
1913 Eugénie Buffet, Concert de La Cigale
poster by Lucien Métivet

Eugénie Buffet

1895 Nouveau Theatre, Les Joyeuses Commeres de Paris
poster by Lucien Métivet

1895 Théâtre de L'Athénée-Comique
poster by Lucien Métivet

1908 Scala, Pour Vos Beaux Yeux
poster by Lucien Métivet

1909 Martgny Vosges
poster by Lucien Métivet

1909 Martgny Vosges
poster by Lucien Métivet

1920 Emprunt National, Société Général
poster by Lucien Métivet

Théophile Alexandre Steinlein (1859 - 1923)

Théophile Steinlen

Théophile Steinlein was born in Lausanne and studied at the University of Lausanne before becoming a trainee designer at a textile mill in Mulhouse, France. In his early twenties he and his new wife were encouraged by painter François Bocion to move to the artistic community in Montmartre, Paris.

Le Chat Noir (The Black Cat)

Once there, Steinlein was befriended by the painter Adolphe Willette, who introduced him to the artistic crowd at 'The Black Cat' (Le Chat Noir). This led to commissions for posters from Aristide Bruant, the cabaret owner and entertainer.

 
1894 Théophile Steinlen exhibition poster

1896 Affiches Charles Verneau
poster by Théophile Steinlen

1896 Cocorico
poster by Théophile Steinlen

1896 Motocycles Comiot
poster by Théophile Steinlen

1896 Tournée du Chat Noir de Rodolphe Salis
poster by Théophile Steinlen

1896-1900 Mothu et Doria
poster by Théophile Steinlen

1905 Clinique Chéron
poster by Théophile Steinlen

Chocolats Thés Cie. Française
poster by Théophile Steinlen

Compagnie Francaise des Chocolats et des Thès
poster by Théophile Steinlen

La Traite des Blanches
poster by Théophile Steinlen

Lait pur de la Vingeanne Stérilisé
poster by Théophile Steinlen

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