Late 19th Century “Le Rire” Magazine Original Covers in Gold Frames, Set of 2

In the trial picture sketched by Willette, an upset judge blames a naked woman for being too easy. Artist Adolphe Willette was a French illustrator and caricaturist who worked for the satirical magazine Le Rire and helped design the Moulin Rouge cabaret.
In the park scene sketched by Radiguet, a man shares his confusion about women wearing pants. After commercial studies, Maurice Radiguet began to work as a humorous and satirical illustrator. He debuted in La Journée in 1885 and contributed to L’Eclipse, La Caricature, Le Rire, Le Charivari, Rabelais, and L’Assiette au Beurre during the following two decades. He also worked as a parliamentary draughtsman and illustrated books by Alphonse Allais.

The two artworks sit in their original gold frames. Eight extra original pages are hidden behind the second one, featuring cartoons, ads, and drawings from the magazine. These pages are in fair condition on yellowed paper, except for some torn paper on the margins.

“Le Rire” was a weekly satirical magazine published in Paris from 1894 to the 1950s. Many artists contributed cartoons. These same artists often worked in other modes, such as poster design, fine art prints, or a fashion illustration, as seen in their other works in Mia’s collection. Many illustrations display the graceful lines and flat (Japonesque) coloration of Art Nouveau, but other, often much edgier, styles appear, too. The works touch on many themes: politics, social mores, class, sex, war, entertainment, work, national identity, and much more. One might think of Le Rire as an equivalent to today’s late-night TV talk shows.