Masquerade

Jules Cheret started to produce paintings and pastels when he was rather old. Throughout many years he created poster designs and it was natural that later he transferred the peculiar idiom of forms and devices elaborated for posters to his other works of art, including this Hermitage pastel. This pastel is typical of the artist's works produced in the 1890s to the early 1900s. It represents the stylized image of a graceful and affected Bohemian woman enjoying herself and calling others to share her joy. The same image, with slight modifications, is to be found in Cheret's lithographs, drawings and posters advertising masked balls, variety shows and races. This work reveals another important feature - that is a great influence of Impressionism upon the modernist style.