JULES CHERET (1836-1932) ALCAZAR D'ETE / LOUISE BALTHY. 1893. 48 3/4x34 3/8 inches. Chaix, Paris. Condition B+: restored bottom and top left corners; restored losses, repaired tears, time-staining and overpainting in margins. Louise Bidard (1865-1925) came to Paris from the Basque region of France, and adopted the stage name Louise Balthy in 1886, when she began to perform at the Alcazar d'Ete. A singer with a strong personality and a unique act of humorous songs, she quickly rose to prominence and earned top billing at all of Paris' major music halls. Her unusual high hairdo, combined with her long nose to make her an irresistible subject for caricaturists and cartoonists. Both Toulouse-Lautrec and Leonetto Cappiello left behind excellent drawings of her. Jules Cheret, who was a poster designer not a portraitist, interprets her appearance only through her black hair (rare for a Cherette), and captures the spirit of the performer, as the movement suggests her eclectic dancing. Brodio 173, Maindron 153, Spectacle 828.
