JULES CHERET (1836-1932) FOLIES BERGERE / ACHILLES L'HOMME CANON. 1881. 20 1/2 x 15 inches. J. Cheret. Paris. Condition B+: minor restoration along vertical and horizontal folds; restoration in image; trimmed top margin. The Folies Bergère opened in 1869 and is still in operation. It has always been one of the most important of the Parisian Music Halls and, at the turn of the century, was not only a place to see shows, but also a place to be seen (see Swann Art Nouveau Auction #2099, lot 68). In 1900, the club was purchased by the Isola brothers who primarily used it for elaborately staged reviews. But prior to that the venue presented a wide variety of acts, from ballet to circus. During the 1870s and 80s their program changed constantly, and they advertised all their different acts by commissioning posters from many of Paris' top printers, including Appel, Levy and Cheret. Cheret designed at least sixty posters for the music hall during this period. Contrary to the present-day notion of a "human cannonball," Achilles knocked fired cannonballs out of the air. It was a popular circus act, and in 1875 Cheret designed another poster for a similar performer, Hultom, who also performed at the Folies Bergère. Broido 120.
