{"title":"The Lucien Métivet Collection","description":"\u003cp\u003eLucien Métivet was a French illustrator and cartoonist who made his name during the Belle Époque, the turn-of-the-century period when Paris was producing some of the most inventive commercial art in the world. He is best remembered for a striking 1893 poster of the street singer Eugénie Buffet, but much of his output went to the Parisian humor magazine Le Rire, where his wit and draftsmanship reached a wide popular audience. The period originals shown here come from that world.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"le-rire-cover-5","title":"Let Me Kiss You, Le Rire","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis delightful cover from Le Rire captures the wit and elegance of Belle Époque French illustration at its finest. Lucien Métivet, a master contributor to Paris's leading humor publications, depicts a romantic hunting encounter with characteristic charm: two hunters steal a kiss while their rifles frame the scene like a ceremonial arch. The caption \"Let me kiss your hares...\" shows the clever wordplay, punning on 'lièvres' (hares) and 'lèvres' (lips), and exemplifies the sophisticated humor that made Le Rire essential reading for the Parisian bourgeoisie.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMétivet's confident line work and warm autumnal palette evoke the pleasures of country pursuits in late nineteenth century France. The composition balances romantic intimacy with comic timing, the hunters' ammunition belts and sporting attire lending an air of respectable absurdity to their woodland tryst. Every element, from the feathered hats to the rolling fields beyond, speaks to the artist's keen eye for social observation.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA standout piece for collectors of French humor illustration and Belle Époque graphic arts, this cover represents the golden age of Parisian magazine publishing when the finest illustrators competed for cover placement.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 11.75\" x 8.5\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist:\u003c\/strong\u003e Lucien Métivet\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very Good, * Please note that this listing is for the cover artwork, and not the magazine as a whole. Age-appropriate wear. Paper toning in accordance with the print's age. Marks\/stains as per photo. Wear around the edges and minor paper loss might be present in some prints. Some covers may have writing or images on verso. Please refer to each print's photo to get a better understanding of the condition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Authentic Vintage Posters","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45133305708659,"sku":"CA8136","price":50.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0088\/3005\/8556\/files\/edited_50b68449-42df-49b3-b8de-68a04736c531.jpg?v=1782411979"},{"product_id":"le-rire-cover-6","title":"Madame is Served, Le Rire","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis striking cover from Le Rire magazine showcases Lucien Métivet's distinctive approach to satirical illustration. Published in March 1901, the image depicts a scene inspired by Victor Hugo's verse drama Ruy Blas, rendered with the bold outlines and flat color areas that defined Belle Époque French illustration. A blonde woman in profile presents a small package to a bearded man reclining in an ornate bed, the caption 'Madame est servie' (Madame is Served) adding a layer of witty social commentary.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLe Rire was among the most celebrated French humor magazines of its era, publishing weekly from its offices on the rue Réaumur in Paris. The magazine served as a showcase for the finest illustrators of the day, including Toulouse-Lautrec, Steinlen, and Métivet himself. The chromolithographic printing by Bertin \u0026amp; Cie captures the vibrant yellows and greens of Métivet's Art Nouveau-influenced wallpaper pattern.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA handsome example of turn-of-the-century French graphic art, this cover bridges the worlds of literary satire and popular illustration. A standout piece for collectors of Belle Époque ephemera or French humor publications.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 11.5\" x 8.75\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist:\u003c\/strong\u003e Lucien Métivet\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very Good, * Please note that this listing is for the cover artwork, and not the magazine as a whole. Age-appropriate wear. Paper toning in accordance with the print's age. Marks\/stains as per photo. Wear around the edges and minor paper loss might be present in some prints. Some covers may have writing or images on verso. Please refer to each print's photo to get a better understanding of the condition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Authentic Vintage Posters","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45133305970803,"sku":"CA8137","price":45.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0088\/3005\/8556\/files\/edited_f5a6bba0-57df-42bb-b0aa-b733086da67f.jpg?v=1782413115"},{"product_id":"le-rire-cover-8","title":"Perspective, Le Rire","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis delightful cover from Le Rire, the celebrated Parisian humor magazine, showcases Lucien Métivet's playful wit and confident draftsmanship. The illustration titled 'Perspective' presents a visual joke about perception and scale: a mustachioed gentleman looms large in the foreground while his companion, 'la grande Irma,' appears diminutive at her vanity table in the background. The accompanying verse explains the optical trickery, noting that perspective often deceives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMétivet was among the constellation of talented illustrators who made Le Rire essential reading for sophisticated Parisians during the Belle Époque. His bold linework and economical use of color (sunny yellows, strategic greens, and warm flesh tones) demonstrate the chromolithographic printing techniques that made French illustrated magazines the envy of publishers worldwide.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA charming artifact of fin-de-siècle French visual culture, this cover captures the gentle irreverence and bourgeois humor that defined the era. A distinctive piece for collectors of French illustration or those drawn to the wit and style of late nineteenth century Paris.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 11.5\" x 8.25\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist:\u003c\/strong\u003e Lucien Métivet\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very Good, * Please note that this listing is for the cover artwork, and not the magazine as a whole. Age-appropriate wear. Paper toning in accordance with the print's age. Marks\/stains as per photo. Wear around the edges and minor paper loss might be present in some prints. Some covers may have writing or images on verso. Please refer to each print's photo to get a better understanding of the condition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Authentic Vintage Posters","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45133306658931,"sku":"CA8139","price":50.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0088\/3005\/8556\/files\/edited_a05e5ce7-b7ea-4464-9cc1-61d567a02b48.jpg?v=1782413597"},{"product_id":"le-rire-cover-15","title":"The Likeness is Accurate, Le Rire","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis delightful cover from Le Rire captures the gentle absurdity of Parisian salon culture in the late 1890s. Lucien Métivet's illustration depicts an elegantly overdressed couple examining a classical bust, with the gentleman whispering a flirtatious 'madrigal' comparing the lady to the sculpture, only to note that the bust lacks her 'je ne sais quoi,' though admittedly it is only a bust. The visual joke plays on multiple levels: the lady's enormous hat rivals the sculpture for sculptural presence, while her elaborately ruffled costume makes the simple classical form seem positively austere.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMétivet was a master of capturing bourgeois pretension with affectionate wit. His soft pastel palette and fluid line work were perfectly suited to Le Rire's sophisticated readership, who would recognize themselves in these gently mocking portraits. The magazine, founded just three years earlier, had already established itself as the premier showcase for French graphic humor.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA charming example of Belle Époque social satire that documents both the fashion excesses and cultural rituals of fin-de-siècle Paris. An excellent piece for collectors of French illustration or anyone drawn to the wit and elegance of this golden age of graphic art.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 11.75\" x 8.5\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist:\u003c\/strong\u003e Lucien Métivet\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very Good, * Please note that this listing is for the cover artwork, and not the magazine as a whole. Age-appropriate wear. Paper toning in accordance with the print's age. Marks\/stains as per photo. Wear around the edges and minor paper loss might be present in some prints. Some covers may have writing or images on verso. Please refer to each print's photo to get a better understanding of the condition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Authentic Vintage Posters","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45133308821619,"sku":"CA8146","price":50.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0088\/3005\/8556\/files\/2026-06-08-14-33-03-01.jpg?v=1782342203"},{"product_id":"le-rire-illustration-7","title":"Lunch in Paris, Le Rire","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis 1897 illustration represents Lucien Métivet's contribution to the 'Les Belles Dames' series, a recurring feature in French illustrated humor publications that recontextualized famous women from history and legend within contemporary Parisian settings. The ninth installment presents Héloïse, the 12th century scholar whose tragic romance with the philosopher Pierre Abélard became one of medieval literature's most celebrated love stories.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMétivet employs deliberate anachronism as his primary comedic device, seating the medieval lovers at a Belle Époque café terrace with Gustave Eiffel's tower (completed merely eight years prior) prominent in the background. The visual language draws heavily from Art Nouveau conventions: flattened pictorial space, decorative organic forms in the framing vine, and the characteristic integration of text and image. The chromolithographic reproduction preserves the watercolor-like quality of the original.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe humor operates through layered literary reference. The caption translates as: Héloïse asks \"What is the matter, friend? You seem to be looking for something...\" to which Abélard replies \"No, it is the menu that... the menu that cuts it for me.\" The menu items, including 'chapon' (capon, a castrated rooster), allude to Abélard's famous punishment at the hands of Héloïse's uncle. Abélard's response that 'the menu' troubles him delivers the understated punchline characteristic of sophisticated French wit of the period.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 11.75\" x 8.5\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist:\u003c\/strong\u003e Lucien Métivet\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very Good, Age-appropriate wear. Paper toning in accordance with the print's age. Marks\/stains as per photo. Wear around the edges and minor paper loss might be present in some prints. Some illustrations may have writing or images on verso. Please refer to each print's image to get a better understanding of the condition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Authentic Vintage Posters","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45133311737971,"sku":"IL8154","price":50.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0088\/3005\/8556\/files\/edited_0ac4669b-855b-4d92-9617-00adf2fde954.jpg?v=1782498982"},{"product_id":"le-rire-illustration-8","title":"The Toymaker, La Vie Illustrée","description":null,"brand":"Authentic Vintage Posters","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45133311934579,"sku":"CA8155","price":60.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0088\/3005\/8556\/files\/edited_25dd453d-97ed-4b0f-9e75-b11d276ce422.jpg?v=1782499253"},{"product_id":"le-rire-illustration-9","title":"The King and His Favorites, Le Rire","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis delightful satirical illustration by Lucien Métivet presents Anne de Joyeuse, Duke of Joyeuse, one of the infamous 'mignons' or favorites of King Henri III of France. Published as part of the 'Les Belles Dames' series in the late 1890s, the piece skewers the historical reputation of Henri III's court favorites, known for their extravagant dress and perceived effeminacy.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMétivet, a master of Belle Époque caricature, renders the Duke in an exaggerated contrapposto pose, wielding a fan and sporting an enormous ruffled collar, patterned stockings, and ribboned shoes. The caption delivers the punchline: 'The king is not my cousin... he is my nephew!' A small framed portrait labeled 'Le Roy et ses Favoris' (The King and His Favorites) provides historical context while adding another layer of visual humor.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA standout piece for collectors of French satirical illustration, this work captures the sophisticated wit of Parisian publishing during its golden age. The soft pastel palette and elegant Art Nouveau border frame exemplify the refined aesthetic of the era's illustrated press.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 11.5\" x 8.25\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist:\u003c\/strong\u003e Lucien Métivet\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very Good, Age-appropriate wear. Paper toning in accordance with the print's age. Marks\/stains as per photo. Wear around the edges and minor paper loss might be present in some prints. Some illustrations may have writing or images on verso. Please refer to each print's image to get a better understanding of the condition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Authentic Vintage Posters","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45133312229491,"sku":"IL8156","price":50.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0088\/3005\/8556\/files\/edited_aabaa0df-b9aa-473a-bfee-3fae02f849ab.jpg?v=1782499814"},{"product_id":"le-rire-illustration-21","title":"The Art of Dance, Le Rire","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis delightful full-page illustration from Le Rire magazine showcases Lucien Métivet at his satirical best. Titled 'Conclusions,' the piece presents a tongue-in-cheek 'diagram' purporting to demonstrate how the art of dance has 'elevated' with the progress of civilization. The composition unfolds in three tiers: a frieze of increasingly elaborate dancers across the top, a central pairing of a Western ballerina and an 'Oriental' dancer surrounded by golden stars, and a bottom row of national dance stereotypes, each labeled with the body part they supposedly favor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMétivet's characteristic wit shines through every detail, from the pompous pseudo-scientific text to the exaggerated poses of each figure. The vibrant color palette of yellows, pinks, and greens captures the festive spirit of Belle Époque Paris, while the decorative red border and scattered stars add to the playful atmosphere.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA standout piece for collectors of French humor illustration, this work offers both visual charm and a fascinating window into late 19th century attitudes toward culture, the body, and the colonial gaze. The clear signature and date in the lower right authenticate this as a fine example of Métivet's magazine work.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 11.5\" x 8.5\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist:\u003c\/strong\u003e Lucien Métivet\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very Good, Age-appropriate wear. Paper toning in accordance with the print's age. Marks\/stains as per photo. Wear around the edges and minor paper loss might be present in some prints. Some illustrations may have writing or images on verso. Please refer to each print's image to get a better understanding of the condition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Authentic Vintage Posters","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45133319995507,"sku":"IL8168","price":50.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0088\/3005\/8556\/files\/edited_d744b1a4-1152-4ec6-b377-585fb1c7518e.jpg?v=1782858775"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.authenticvintageposters.com\/en-nl\/collections\/the-lucien-metivet-collection.oembed?page=2","provider":"Authentic Vintage Posters","version":"1.0","type":"link"}