Around 1900. Le Pré Catelan. Four Menus Illustrated By Georges Redon Framed

Le Pré Catelan is still a renowned restaurant, and, like so many of Paris's great historic houses, it enjoys a special prestige.
At the beginning of the 20th century, a little distant but not too far from the beautiful apartments of the 16th arrondissement, this gourmet's paradise certainly allowed, if one observes the amusing illustrations on these menus, to discreetly bring a conquest, whom one would make laugh, before consuming her after the sorbets.
In fact, nothing ceremonial on these menus, little naked children, evocation of eros, making a mess ...and even a young satyr.
They are entitled L'envie , La colère, Intemperance , et la Paresse.
These illustrations are the work of a well-known Montmartre artist, Jules Georges Redon (1869 - 1943) painter, engraver, illustrator (for l'Assiette au Beurre, or lle Rire et 'illustration for example) and of course caricaturist.
He led a rich career, decorating establishments and, during the First World War, painting camouflage for the army.
They were placed in frames at the time, certainly recovered by a client who appreciated them.
With some of the windows broken (some must have fallen off the wall, and one frame is in worse condition than the others), I was able to photograph the dishes offered by the place.
It's a charming art nouveau document, given the typical arabesques, we're before the 1914 war without a doubt, both on gastronomy, but also on the French art of living, full of lightness of seduction and mutinous spirit.