Skip to main content

The unquestionable talent of the featured male artists fueled the passion for French Posters, but the female subjects are legends in their own right. Who were they, these female figures who posed, acted, sang and danced their way into the history of France and the canons of art history?

Printing four different color versions, Jules Chéret captured the whirling motion and multi-hued performance of the acclaimed artist, Loïe Fuller (1862–1928) in this celebrated poster. The American-born actress and dancer, who held numerous patents related to stage lighting and the use of chemicals in special effects, took Paris by storm with productions that combined dance, music and colored electric lights while dressed in diaphanous costume. Fuller’s innovative choreography inspired the likes of the renowned Isadora Duncan.

Artwork Photograph by John Faier. © 2015 The Richard H. Driehaus Museum.

L’Affichomania: The Passion for French Posters was organized by The Richard H. Driehaus Museum and is toured by International Arts & Artists, Washington, DC.

Leave a Reply