This original 1893 illustrated program by Henri-Gabriel Ibels is a remarkable survival from the pioneering days of Le Théâtre Libre, André Antoine’s radical theatrical collective that revolutionized the Paris stage. Commissioned to accompany a bold evening of avant-garde theatre — featuring La Belle au Bois Rêvant, Mariage d’Argent, and Ahasvère — this program is more than a piece of ephemera: it is a vivid document of fin-de-siècle cultural experimentation and the dynamic fusion of visual art with performance.
Henri-Gabriel Ibels, a prominent figure of the Nabis movement and frequent collaborator with Toulouse-Lautrec, infused the program with his trademark style: flat, expressive lines, bold silhouettes, and a sense of movement that echoes both the theater and the street. His work here elevates the program into a work of graphic modernism, where each line and motif echoes the themes explored on stage — dreamlike escape, social critique, and mythic fatalism.
The evening’s triple bill showcased the eclectic and provocative range for which Théâtre Libre was known:
La Belle au Bois Rêvant takes the familiar fairy tale and subverts it into a Symbolist meditation on slumber, reverie, and feminine interiority — a counterpoint to traditional notions of passive beauty.
Mariage d’Argent offers a searing naturalist critique of economic ambition and the commodification of relationships, emblematic of the Théâtre Libre’s realist foundations.
Ahasvère, inspired by the legend of the Wandering Jew, presents a metaphysical drama exploring guilt, immortality, and moral exile — themes that resonated deeply in the anxious twilight of the 19th century.
Ibels's design captures the essence of each piece, not through literal illustration, but by distilling the psychological atmosphere of the performance. His ability to merge the elegance of lithographic technique with a raw, modern energy made his programs singular works of art that stood apart from conventional theatre ephemera of the time.
Printed on fine paper with careful typographic layout, this program is emblematic of the Théâtre Libre's holistic vision, in which every element of the theatrical experience — from the performance to the printed material — contributed to a unified artistic statement.
Today, this program is exceptionally rare and highly valued by collectors of theatrical history, Art Nouveau graphics, and French avant-garde ephemera. It offers not only a glimpse into one of the most daring moments in modern theatre, but also a stunning example of how the visual arts elevated and amplified the spirit of revolutionary performance.
Theater - Avant-Garde - France
Aitken
Printed by Eugène Verneau in Paris
Good condition, one crease
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