Villy Green (active circa 1900) - Lot 170

Villy Green (active circa 1900) March of the Midinettes - Paris Nanterre 1903. 1903. Lithograph. Sight: 730x545. Very fine proof on ivory vellum, extensively watercolored. Full margins. Framed. Addendum: the print having been decadered, there are accidents and tears at the edges of the margins, notably at lower left, summarily restored on verso; also in the upper left corner (with old summary restoration on verso); small snags at right edge towards bottom. La marche des midinettes was an all-women's foot race held in Paris on October 25, 1903, on the initiative of Le Monde Sportif, whose editor-in-chief was Pierre Giffard, creator that same October of the Bordeaux-Paris foot race (600 km). Originally, competitors were required to walk, but many did not comply and ran the entire distance. The start was given from the Jardin des Tuileries by Paul Rousseau, director of the newspaper, albeit late and somewhat confused by the crowds. The event was a huge success, attracting more than 2,500 young Parisian women, seamstresses and fashion designers. The winner was Jeanne Cheminel (sister of Robert Cheminel, president of the Union Athlétique de Paris), who covered the 12 kilometers in 1 hour and 10 minutes.