FRANCISCO TAMAGNO (1851-?) TERMINUS / ABSINTHE BIENFAISANTE. Circa 1897. 79x51 inches, 200x129 cm. Camis, Paris. Condition B+: repaired tears and creases in margins and image; vertical and horizontal folds. Japan. An unauthorized celebrity product endorsement, featuring Constant Coquelin toasting Sarah Bernhardt with a glass of absinthe. Sarah Bernhardt sued the printing company for using her likeness without permission and won a judgement that the posters would have to be destroyed. However, the verdict came too late as copies of the poster were already being offered for sale by La Plume in 1897. Although unsigned, the work has been attributed to Tamagno (in 1895 he designed another poster for Peugeot featuring the same golden mosaic background.) Wine Spectator 132, Absinthe p. 46, Absinthe Posters p. 110.
