black and white with red border and red text; winged blind figure at top left; woman with a dark hat holding a staff with directional indicators and a fan in ULQ; woman seen from back with Japanese costume and hairstyle, smoking a cigarette, at right below center; reclining woman with opera glasses in her lap, holding mask, at bottom center; woman wearing a top hat and holding a riding crop at left

La Vie élégante, 1883

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Félicien Rops is one of the most notorious artists of the Symbolist movement, especially well known for his sexually charged and demonic imagery. Yet, his practice was quite diverse, and he was also sought out for his skills as commercial designer. The present poster advertises the magazine La Vie élégante. It was intended for display in the window of bookshops that sold the magazine. As suggested by the alluring allegories in Rops’s image, La Vie élégante catered to the upper middle class, the beau monde interested itself in luxury leisure activity: riding and racing horses, concerts and theater, shopping, and travel—something along the lines of Vanity Fair or Town and Country today.

Details
Title
La Vie élégante
Artist Life
1833 - 1898
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2019.115.10
Provenance
Gabriel and Yvonne Weisberg, Minneapolis; given to MIA, 2019.
Curator Approved

This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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black and white with red border and red text; winged blind figure at top left; woman with a dark hat holding a staff with directional indicators and a fan in ULQ; woman seen from back with Japanese costume and hairstyle, smoking a cigarette, at right below center; reclining woman with opera glasses in her lap, holding mask, at bottom center; woman wearing a top hat and holding a riding crop at left