Dec 17, 2008 - Sale 2167

Sale 2167 - Lot 55

Price Realized: $ 2,880
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 1,500 - $ 2,000
ADRIEN BARRÈRE (1877-1931) JANE D'ALMA.
52x36 1/4 inches, 132x92 cm. Ch. Wall & Cie, Paris.
Condition B+: tears, creases and discoloration in margins and image; loss in lower right corner; vertical and horizontal folds. Matted and framed.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Barrére was the foremost designer of posters for music halls and performers around Paris. (His images all appear like enlarged caricatures.) Powerful drawing, broad outlining, flat colors and inventive layouts and compositions are the main characteristics of his distinctive style, which was so popular that he was called upon to help promote all of the major stars of that era (Mayol, Fragson, Polin, Polaire, Dranem and many others). After the café-concerts were no longer in vogue, Barrère continued using his caricature style to help advertise silent movies. Jane d'Alma was one of several risqué French performers, "that were famous for glorifying the Parisienne's calf, showing their thighs, which was ravishing for the male public" (Weill / Café-Concert p. 352). The performer inspired Barrére to create one of his best images. Le Café-Concert 51.