Théâtre National De L’opéra Grand Bal De La Mi-Carême 1921

Curator: Leonetto Cappiello’s poster, titled "Théâtre National de l'Opéra Grand Bal de la Mi-Carême," created in 1921, invites us to a masked ball. The medium is lithographic poster. Editor: What a sense of frivolity! There's a manic energy here – the skewed perspectives, the clashing colors…it suggests a release from societal constraint. Curator: Observe how Cappiello employs flattened planes and bold outlines. He reduces forms to their essential geometry; the Harlequin's suit, for instance, becomes a field of contrasting diamond shapes. Note how he is playing with figure-ground relationships. Editor: Absolutely, but look closer: These are figures of the “demi-monde,” right? The masked ball was a sanctioned space, but only for the right participants, as designated by class, gender, and social standing. There’s a strong tradition of class transgression present here. The semi-anonymous mask offered freedom and license within very clearly defined parameters. Curator: Cappiello cleverly uses line to convey movement and emotion. Look at how the trailing streamers reinforce the feeling of celebratory abandon; yet, they are also contained within the borders of the poster, almost restrained. Editor: Precisely! The constraints create a kind of performance; the masking, the costuming, and this entire constructed experience within the opera house. It suggests that even in supposedly liberated spaces, one’s identity is carefully constructed. The 50 francs admission too would have prevented participation across society's social classes. Curator: His use of simplified forms draws the eye to essential information: The name of the opera, and date. Editor: So, we have what appears on the surface to be mere playful decadence which actually carries a weight of sociocultural awareness behind the performance of masking. Curator: Indeed, the painting has the potential to become quite multifaceted, doesn't it? Editor: Agreed. I am starting to enjoy this exploration more.