ALFRED CHOUBRAC (1853–1902) Art Nouveau costume designs for Le Compère and La Commère

monogrammed ‘C’ (on the reverse)) watercolour and pencil on paper 33 × 25 cm (each) Alfred Choubrac was one of the leading Parisian costume designers and poster artists of his time. He worked closely with the capital’s revue and music-hall theatres, as well as the Maison Blondel, contributing to the spectacular visual aesthetic of the Belle Époque. La Commère and Le Compère traditionally designate the female and male hosts of a revue, respectively, responsible for introducing the various acts and linking the different scenes. In La Commère, the dress and broad fan-pleated sleeves evoke the floral motifs characteristic of late nineteenth-century aesthetics, while the long stem she holds replaces the traditional baton or marotte of the revue host. Le Compère, with his slender silhouette, elegant suit, geometric hat and oversized bow tie, evokes the eccentric elegance of the Parisian dandy around 1900. This pair belongs to the world of the great Parisian entertainment venues of the Belle Époque, including the Théâtre des Variétés, the Bouffes-Parisiens and the prestigious music-hall cabarets.