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Mothu et Doria: A 19th C. Lithograph from Les Maitres de l'Affiche by Steinlen

Creator: Theophile Alexandre Steinlen -Jules Cheret
Offered by: Timeless Intaglio – Rare Prints, Maps & Books

Description
This is a framed 19th century color lithograph entitled "Mothu et Doria" created by Theophile Alexandre Steinlen and published between 1896 and 1899 in Paris, France by Jules Cheret in his famous series of miniature colored stone lithographs of popular Belle Epoch posters "Les Maitres de l'Affiche", released to subscribers in groups of four. It depicts two Parisian men, possibly the singers Mothu and Doria, standing by a lamp post on a starlit night. A well-dressed gentleman, who is possibly returning from the opera, lights the cigarette of a second less well-dressed man with his own cigar. It has been a matter of controversy as to what message Steinlen is trying to convey; possibly highlighting a moment of socioeconomic contrast or perhaps mutual respect and harmony between socioeconomic classes. Its ambiguity contributes to its stature as a superb work of art.

This color lithograph released in Cheret's series Maitres de l’Affiche was printed by Chaix imprimerie between the years 1895 and 1900. The publication "Les Maitres de l’affiche" celebrated the great posters and poster artists of the time. Important posters were printed using color stone lithography in a smaller in scale than the original posters, and released to subscribers over a period of five years. . A singing duo in Aristide Bruant's social-realist mode? A stage drama? Is it or comity?

This colorful color lithograph is presented in an antiqued gold-colored wood frame with a red toned trim, which picks up the red in the men's shirts. There is a soft brown/taupe-colored French mat with a gold highlight line and a black inner mat. The frame measures 22.25" high, 18.125" wide and 0.75" in depth. The print is signed in plate in the lower left and the embossed blindstamp of Les Maîtres de L'Affiche Imprimerie Chaix is in the lower right.

Theophile Alexandre Steinlen (1859-1923) was a Swiss-born French Art Nouveau painter and printmaker. He was born in Lausanne, Switzerland, but moved to France to train as a textile designer. There he developed his painting skills. The painter François Bocion became aware of his work and encouraged him to join the artistic community in the Montmartre Quarter of Paris. There he became friendly with the painter Adolphe Willette, who introduced him to the artistic crowd at the cabaret Le Chat Noir (The Black Cat). The owner of the cabaret commissioned him to create graphic poster art for his business, as well as for others. Some of Steinlen's most famous posters depict cats, some incorporated in Le Chat Noir's posters, but other graphic art and sculptures just focus on cats. Steinlen even published a book of his cat designs, "Dessins Sans Paroles Des Chats" (Drawings Without Words Of Cats).

Art Nouveau posters by Steinlen and his contemporaries in the Belle Epoch era in Paris became extremely popular and collectible. Jules Cheret, a prominent and now famous poster graphic artist, recognized the popularity of these posters and led him to create color lithographs of them, which were printed by Chaix imprimerie and published by subscription over a five year period in the 1890's in a series called "Les Maîtres de L'Affiche Imprimerie Chaix", which were avidly collected then and have continued to gain in popularity to the present.

More Information

Documentation:	Signed
Period:	18th Century
Condition:	Good.
Creation Date:	1896
Styles / Movements:	Other
Incollect Reference #:	572664

Dimensions

W.	18.125 in;	H.	22.25 in;	D.	0.75 in;
W.	46.04 cm;	H.	56.52 cm;	D.	1.91 cm;

Message from Seller:

Timeless Intaglio is an online gallery of rare and collectable antiquarian prints, maps and books. Although we specialize in all forms of vintage printed works on paper, the majority were created with the intaglio method of transferring ink from a plate, usually copper, to paper with a technique utilizing pressure generated by a press. Email us directly: rbreiman@timelessintaglio.com