Une Mère; Brocéliande; Les Flaireurs; Des Mots! Des Mots! 1896

This print, by Maxime Dethomas, uses ochre ink to create contrasting panels of text and image, characteristic of late 19th-century French posters. The work evokes an immediate sense of the era's artistic experimentation. The composition is structured around text and stylized figures, creating an intriguing dialogue between the literary and visual components. Dethomas employs the formal elements of line and shape to create a graphic style that emphasizes flat planes, reducing the figures to their most essential forms. The use of a single color further simplifies the image, drawing attention to the bold outlines and the balance between positive and negative space. This aesthetic approach reflects the influence of Japonisme and Art Nouveau, which favored simplification and stylization over realistic representation. The print is an example of how artists engaged with emerging theories of aesthetics and representation, challenging traditional artistic conventions.