JULES CHÉRET (1836-1932) THÉÂTRE DE L'OPÉRA / CARNAVAL. 1894. 50 1/2x34 3/4 inches, 28 1/2x88 1/2 cm. Chaix, Paris. Condition B+: repaired tears, creases and overpainting in margins; minor restoration along vertical and horizontal folds. Framed. Advertising a ball at the Paris Opera, Chéret uses a diagonal composition to build an exquisite ascendant crowd movement in the style of Tiepolo. The viewer's eye is further drawn to the diagonal by the color composition, in which the colors (and the detail) fade from bright and lively in the foreground to muted, fuzzy blues in the background. Not intended to be a decorative panel, this poster was originally printed without lettering, because it was slated to be used for three different masked balls (on the 6th and 20th of January and the 3rd of February). For each of these events the lettering was added afterwards. Broido 289, Maindron 246, DFP-II 236, Cheret 368.
