Theater

FOLIES-BERGÈRE – LE MIROIR — Jules Chéret

Original stone-lithograph plate printed circa 1896 at Imprimerie Chaix (Paris) for Les Affiches Illustrées. This reduced-format lithograph for Jules Chéret’s exuberant poster for the Folies-Bergère music hall, advertising Le Miroir, one of its popular Belle Époque spectacles.

The Folies-Bergère was at the center of Parisian nightlife in the late 19th century, famous for its lavish revues, dancers, acrobats, and theatrical innovations. Le Miroir was among the celebrated productions of the 1890s, staged with elaborate sets and reflected effects that dazzled contemporary audiences. Chéret’s design captures this atmosphere of festivity, with lively figures, flowing ribbons, and radiant color—a hallmark of the artist who became known as the “father of the modern poster.”

Les Affiches Illustrées (1896–1899) was one of the first publications dedicated exclusively to poster art, issued in small runs for collectors. Produced at Chaix under Chéret’s direction, each plate was a stone-lithograph reduction of a major affiche, printed on fine paper and offered in a more practical format than the large street posters. Today, these plates remain highly collectible as authentic examples of Belle Époque lithography.

Title: Folies-Bergère – Le Miroir
Artist: Jules Chéret (1836–1932)
Date: c.1896 (after the original Folies-Bergère poster of the 1890s)
Printer: Imprimerie Chaix, Paris (Les Affiches Illustrées)
Size: 21.5 × 30 cm (approx. 8.5 × 11.8 in)
Print Type: Stone lithograph
Condition: Excellent “A,” near-mint on fine wove paper
Comments: Authentic plate from Les Affiches Illustrées, produced at Chaix under Jules Chéret. Bright, crisp impression with vivid color. A classic Chéret design celebrating the glamour and energy of the Folies-Bergère at the height of the Belle Époque.