It wasn't easy finding much information on 1920's Casino De Paris and Folies Bergere poster artist, Charles Gesmar. Born Charles Geismar on May 21, 1900 in Nancy, France, he died from pneumonia at the tragically young age of 28, but spent 10 of those years ~ starting at age 16 ~ as the official poster artist for Mistinguett, La Paris Miss!
Gesmar, who counted Jean Cocteau as one of his greatest admirers, helped create sets and costumes for productions at the newly reopened Moulin Rouge, circa 1925, along with contemporaries Toulouse-Lautrec and Rene Gruau. All in all, in his very short career, Gesmar made over 12,000 drawings, 30 program covers and 55 posters...for Mistinguett as well as others...along with a variety of magazine illustrations for French publications of the day.
Aren't they simply marvelous? Especially for an opium addict!..(so I hear...) If you'd like to find out more, there is a special edition book ~ only 500 copies printed ~ entitled Charles Gesmar 1900-1928 ~ a biography illustrated with most all his works...I hope they saved a copy for me!
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