La victoire par Saint-Georges de Bouhélier - Programme du théâtre de l'oeuvre 1898

This exceptional 1898 illustrated program by Maxime Dethomas was created for La Victoire, a five-act tragedy by Saint-Georges de Bouhélier, presented at the legendary Théâtre de l’Œuvre during its 1897–1898 season. It stands as a striking example of the Symbolist era’s unique blend of dramatic and visual experimentation, a hallmark of the avant-garde Parisian stage at the end of the 19th century.

Dethomas’s lithographic cover captures the idealized spirit of feminine allegory—a solitary woman, robed in drapery, stands against a swirling, dreamlike backdrop. Her calm yet powerful demeanor evokes both the serenity and resilience implied by the title La Victoire (“Victory”). With sweeping lines and soft tonal contrast, Dethomas echoes the aesthetic sensibilities of contemporaries like Lautrec and Vuillard, positioning himself among the most talented illustrators of his generation.

The Théâtre de l’Œuvre, under the direction of Lugné-Poe, was a central force in modernizing the French stage, often embracing social and philosophical theatre that challenged convention. La Victoire, with its emphasis on personal and national triumph, fit perfectly into this mission, and Dethomas’s cover channels this intensity through poetic visual abstraction rather than overt representation.

Maxime Dethomas, though today less publicly known than some of his contemporaries, played an important role in the Parisian cultural world of the Belle Époque. A close associate of writers like André Gide and artists such as Jacques-Émile Blanche, he often contributed illustrations to the Revue Blanche and was a key link between the fine arts and the performing arts.

Original programs such as this were printed in small quantities and seldom preserved, especially those produced as fine lithographs. This rare surviving copy is not only a piece of theatrical ephemera but also a collectible work of art in its own right—a poetic artifact from one of Paris’s most creative and intellectually charged periods.

Theater - Avant-Garde - France

Salle de Bouffes-Parisiens - Aitken 38

Good condition, small tears