ADRIEN BARRÉRE (1877-1931) ANNE DANCREY. 54x38 3/4 inches. Ch. Wall, Paris. Condition B+: restoration, discoloration and minor restored losses along vertical and horizontal folds. At the beginning of the 20th century, Anne Dancrey was one of the leading stars of the Paris Café-Concert scene, performing regularly at l'Alcazar d'Ete and Les Ambassadeurs. Although she had a good signing voice, she was primarily regarded as a dancer, and her first major hit was a Brazilian dance, "the maxixe," which she performed in 1905. She became an international sensation, and toured across Europe and even to America in 1913. Her American tour garnered her all sorts of free publicity when she was stopped at customs and forced to pay $1200 duty on the 45 gowns she was travelling with for her performances. This rare poster is a Barrère classic, one of the poster portraits he created for many of the important stars of the era. Dancrey's lithe, and perhaps even serpentine moves, are not only suggested by the curves of her body, but also by the snakes depicted on her dress.
