Casino d’Enghien 1898

Curator: Well, this is a rather spirited lithograph by Jules Chéret, titled "Casino d’Enghien," created in 1898. A vibrant poster advertising the Casino. What's your initial take? Editor: It strikes me as incredibly whimsical, even bordering on dreamlike. The figures, particularly the children on horseback, evoke a playful innocence juxtaposed with a grander spectacle—almost like a child’s pageant being launched on a large stage. Curator: Absolutely. Chéret was a master of the poster, shaping Parisian streetscapes into open-air art galleries. Casino's, like the Moulin Rouge, were major commissioners during the Belle Epoque, seeking to associate themselves with that particular *joie de vivre.* Editor: The horses themselves seem to have winged feet as if liberated from everyday convention. I’m fascinated by how the childhood archetype meets emblems of power and fortune here, horses and implied fireworks—symbols of royalty, divinity, and of transient but evocative entertainment. Curator: He was deeply involved in the creation of visual language around entertainment and leisure. Posters became potent signifiers of the times. This piece certainly reflects Art Nouveau ideals—notice how fluid lines dominate the visual composition. And this focus on visual branding was becoming central to business. Editor: And there are the symbols – fleur-de-lis in the heraldic crests – with those ambiguous shooting fireworks. This is pure visual storytelling about status and wonder, but told through the fleeting lens of ephemera and the visual style he developed that felt so spontaneous. Curator: Precisely. The children are elevated almost to sainthood, surrounded by celebratory light. The casino essentially re-casting its offerings as harmless play. It's fascinating how these lithographs entered everyday life, influencing social aspiration and perception. Editor: It's the contrast of seemingly light, entertainment-driven subject matter imbued with recognizable historic iconographies which fascinates. Curator: Well, it underscores how commercial images were deeply entangled with culture and power. Editor: Exactly, making us question what persists across our history and imagination, even through the most disposable mediums.