Exemplaar van het tijdschrift 'L'Assiette au Beurre', No. 385, 15 augustus 1908 Possibly 1908

Curator: Let’s take a look at this striking cover of "L'Assiette au Beurre," number 385 from August 15, 1908. The cover illustration, titled “La Barbe!” is credited to a K. Édouard Gerárd. It's a vibrant example of early 20th-century French graphic art. Editor: My immediate reaction? It’s raw. Visceral. The way that man is clawing at the air—almost desperate. I notice the limited color palette of brown, beige, black and the starkness adds to the impact. Curator: Absolutely. "L'Assiette au Beurre" was known for its incisive social and political commentary. The Art Nouveau aesthetic combined with sharp satire to critique the bourgeoisie. The publication gained recognition for using caricatures to communicate messages in print, which democratized the art and politicized it at the same time. Editor: Looking closer, you can see what seem like newspapers crumpled beside him, and emblazoned behind him. There is also an eerie-looking puppet. I am trying to decode what messages are contained there. But there's clearly commentary about the relationship between the subject, wealth and manipulation. Curator: The title, “La Barbe!” suggests it’s about a tiresome or boring subject. But the intensity in his face tells a different story—almost as if to scream to be heard. He could represent the wealthy bourgeoisie resisting unwelcome change or commentary from this same publication that criticizes him. Editor: I agree, there’s real tension. This wasn’t just slapped together. Someone put thought into how the lithographic process would amplify the message through bold lines, color choices and lettering styles. Curator: And that tension made it so impactful, as "L'Assiette au Beurre" helped shape public opinion during a turbulent period. These kinds of politically engaged publications truly illustrate the role of visual media. Editor: Yes, and looking at this poster makes me think about how artistic techniques and even print production choices carry weight and political power as tools of resistance. Curator: It’s remarkable how a simple magazine cover can tell us so much about the anxieties of a bygone era and the persistent power of social critique in art. Editor: Indeed! It shows that sometimes, the simplest materials used skillfully with meaning are able to spark revolution.