JULES CHÉRET (1836-1932) COSMYDOR SAVON. 1891. 49 1/2x34 1/2 inches, 126x88 cm. Chaix, Paris. Condition B+: restoration and overpainting along vertical and horizontal folds; repaired tears in margins and image. The luxury soap market in France at the fin-de-siecle was a booming industry with very imaginative and ambitious manufacturers inventing marvelous names, and utilizing fancy packaging and a lot of publicity. For this poster Cheret pays close attention to the woman's elegant striped dress. Such detailed attention to fashion is rare in Cheret's work, and the result closely resembles the striped dress worn by the woman in his poster Librairie Ed. Sagot designed the same year. This poster, which catches a Cherette in an intimate moment, is a delicate and sensuous image. However, Cheret's friend and long-time typographer, Madaré, was challenged by the image, as indicated by the awkwardly arranged lettering. Brodio 938, Maindron 777, DFP-II 220.
