Quinquina Dubonnet 1895

Editor: So this is *Quinquina Dubonnet*, a lithograph poster by Jules Chéret, from 1895. The color palette, mainly subdued reds and yellows, coupled with the central female figure, evoke a kind of elegant nostalgia. The woman and the cat definitely evoke a chic Parisian cafe culture, but there's something about the poster quality itself which also feels both refined and playful, I'd say. What captures your attention most when you look at it? Curator: The effervescence, darling! Chéret wasn't just selling Dubonnet, he was selling the spirit of *la belle époque*. Imagine strolling along the boulevards, a bit tipsy, the scent of perfume and possibility in the air. It's a celebration of simple joys. Notice how the swirls and curves aren’t just decorative, they literally animate the scene – the woman’s dress seems to ripple, and even the lettering itself seems ready to dance. Does that Parisian dream speak to you as well? Editor: Yes, I do see that Belle Epoque exuberance. But in terms of cultural impact, was he also revolutionizing commercial art as well by using the poster for advertising, and bringing Art Nouveau style? Curator: Absolutely! He's often called the "father of the modern poster" precisely because he elevated commercial advertising into an art form, bringing art into the streets and blurring those old boundaries, which are sometimes silly, anyway. His light, bright colours and carefree spirit transformed Paris into an open-air art gallery, a dream for us. A delicious dream to imagine. Editor: I now have an entirely new perspective of what was actually happening culturally. So that the woman and cat is about an entire shift. The cafe becomes both intimate, stylish, while it is advertised publically! Curator: Precisely! These posters didn't just advertise a product, they also peddled a lifestyle, didn't they? Chéret’s artwork promised a world of carefree pleasure and a brand new way of looking at everyday life in an evolving and vibrant world, such as Paris was then, for him and many more now too, in history! What a rush. Editor: Absolutely fascinating, especially seeing the impact it created. I never really imagined how that cafe dream was really happening. Thanks.