Les Fossiles de M. Ménessier - Programme du théâtre libre 1892

This rare illustrated program, created in 1892 by Henri-Gabriel Ibels, is a vivid artifact from the vibrant and avant-garde world of Le Théâtre Libre, the influential Parisian theatre founded by André Antoine in the late 19th century. The program accompanied Les Fossiles, a four-act play by M. Ménessier, and reflects the spirit of experimentation, realism, and independence that defined the Théâtre Libre’s radical break from traditional French theatre.

Ibels, a member of the Nabis group and a close collaborator of Toulouse-Lautrec, brought his characteristic flat colors, outlined forms, and candid observation of modern life to this lithograph. The cover scene—depicting bourgeois beachgoers seated along a vivid yellow shore—contrasts the relaxed leisure of its subjects with the subtle critique suggested by the play’s title, Les Fossiles, which evokes themes of cultural stagnation and outdated aristocratic values.

The design uses bold contour lines and minimal detail to achieve maximum emotional clarity—a hallmark of Ibels’ style, which straddled fine art and poster design. His work for this program exemplifies the late 19th-century Parisian shift toward synthesized image and text, where visual design was no longer separate from theatrical production but instead became integral to its public identity.

As an object, this program functions both as a historical document and as a work of art—bearing witness to a turning point in modern theatre and the evolving aesthetics of the fin-de-siècle Parisian avant-garde.

Theater - Avant-Garde - Brittany

Aitken 15

Printed by Eugène Verneau in Paris

Good condition, one crease