JULES CHÉRET (1836-1932) - Lot 88

JULES CHÉRET (1836-1932) Mariani tonic wine Pastel (framed). 122x74cm Provenance: Probably Edmond Sagot, then by descent. Bibliography: - La Belle Époque de Jules Chéret - Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris, 2010, numbers 1116 to 1124 - And in all reference works devoted to the 1900 poster. Like something out of a Balzac novel, Angelo Mariani, a young Corsican pharmacy assistant, went to Paris where, in 1863, he invented "Vin tonique Mariani", a maceration of coca leaves in Bordeaux wine that became a worldwide success. Advised by a relative, Xavier Paoli, he was a pioneer in advertising: the Mariani album, a sort of social directory singing the praises of his beverage, was published from 1894 to 1924, featuring over a thousand celebrities, not least Pope Leo XIV, Sarah Bernhardt, Alexandre Dumas and Verlaine! He only came to poster art to expand internationally, calling on his undisputed master, Jules Chéret. Chéret designed one of his most dazzling posters for him: a little girl floating in space, pouring herself a drink, in brilliant blues and yellows. The text is in English. Models of Chéret's major works are extremely rare: a small color sketch (44.5x36cm) for Mariani wine was auctioned by Maître Blanchet on October 18, 2013 for 8500 euros, the hammer price! In 1896, Mucha presented Léon Deschamps, founder of the literary and artistic magazine La Plume and of the Salon des Cent, which was held in his offices on rue Bonaparte, with an illustration for his XXth Exhibition: The pensive young artist, with her extravagant, chastely undressed hair, was a huge success*. It was the start of a fruitful collaboration between the two men, with Mucha designing the magazine's cover. Of course, he also designed a poster, for which we offer the original layout. More sober, more pensive, the young artist, wearing a traditional Moravian bonnet, presents three decorative motifs. The project was acquired at the time, as a neighbor, by the great art dealer Edmond Sagot. The last poster model of comparable quality and importance for Lefevre-Utile cookies was sold on May 27, 2003 by Robin Faton and Artcurial for 54,000 euros. This lot was described by expert Alain Weill.