Les vieilles liqueurs Marie Brizard & Roger 1912

Editor: This is Leonetto Cappiello's 1912 lithograph poster, "Les vieilles liqueurs Marie Brizard & Roger." It feels so festive, almost like a scene from a play, with these elegantly dressed women advertising liquor. How do you interpret the relationship between the image and the advertisement's message? Curator: It’s tempting to view this piece through the lens of Art Nouveau's aestheticism. But consider its social context: early 20th-century advertising was heavily gendered. The poster leverages established notions of feminine elegance and frivolity to sell liquor. The women, seemingly carefree and embodying the spirit of celebration, normalize and perhaps even glamorize alcohol consumption, subtly suggesting these liquors enhance social life and status. Editor: That makes sense. I initially saw the image as just a celebration, but now I realize how it actively uses those assumptions to sell a product. What about the woman in white carrying the bottles? Is she a representation of the brand? Curator: Potentially. Or consider that the women's attire hints at historical or theatrical performances, maybe implying a continuity of luxury or tradition, directly associating the drink with a rich heritage and appealing to the cultural capital of the consumer. Could the performance being staged be more than what it appears, or are these gendered displays more subtly encoded, a product in their own right? Editor: So it's not just about selling a product, but about selling a lifestyle, tied to societal expectations and gender roles of the time. Curator: Precisely. These seemingly innocent images were, and in many ways still are, potent tools that reflect and reinforce cultural narratives. Considering those intersectional power dynamics is fundamental. Editor: I never considered advertising could be viewed through such a complex lens! I’ll definitely look at these posters with a more critical eye now. Curator: Understanding this historical context is essential, and it empowers us to dissect the hidden agendas behind seemingly simple imagery.