1890s Original French Art Nouveau Poster, Les Programmes Illustres, Programme de la Fete (Société Municipale des crèches)

A color plate from an exquisite book called Les Programmes Illustres, by Ernest Maindron, published in 1897, by Librairie Nilsson-Per Lamm, Paris purchased at auction, and filled with the most unbelievably detailed and remarkable works of art we have seen... granted we are biased and truly moved by works from this period, by truly, these are gems, in remarkable, mint condition, and more than 100 years old. The auction catalog reads: " 'I often ask myself what they, the curious of the year 2000, will think of us, whom we are cut off from by a century of dreadful events; them, knowing that which we don't yet know and that we nearly suspect, what will they say of our old frivolity with all that has passed? Won't they pity us, like we today have pity for the aristocratic society whose ancient prints we refer to with carelessness and levity?' Thus mused Pierre Veber in his prefacing comments for the Programmes Illustres, a hardcover compendium of some of the most beautiful menus, invitations, business cards and announcements of the Belle Epoque. Little could he have known how off the mark his thoughts were,  ...." (Rennert) Each sheet is 9.25 x 12.5 inches, and the images on the sheet vary - this one by Louis-Muarice Boutet de Monvel (an artist also associated with the Maitres de L'Affiches of the same period), is charming, naive, and very, very sweet.

Of the artist, Wikipedia states, "Boutet de Monvel was an academic painter born in Orléans who studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris under Alexandre Cabanel, Gustave Boulanger, Jules Joseph Lefebvre, and Carolus Duran. During the late 1870s he exhibited at the Salon de Paris and earned the medal of the third class in 1878 for a painting called "The Good Samaritan". Children's book illustrator Boutet de Monvel's illustration for the song "Au Clair de la Lune", the first selection from Vielles Chansons et Rondes pour les Petits Enfants (1883). Boutet de Monvel began doing illustrations for financial reasons. After contributing illustrations to several magazines he published Vielles Chansons et Rondes pour les Petits Enfants (Old Songs and Rounds for Small Children) in 1883, followed the next year by Chansons de France pour les Petits Français (Songs of France for Little French People).Boutet de Monvel collaborated with Anatole France for Nos Enfants (Our Children) and a number of other children's books, many of which were translated into English in the early twentieth century.