{"product_id":"ap_22985","title":"L'échelle ; Le Balcon - Programme pour le théâtre de l'oeuvre 1898","description":"\u003cp data-start=\"365\" data-end=\"931\"\u003eThis rare 1898 illustrated program by the Italian-born artist Alfredo Müller captures the essence of Paris’s Symbolist theatre at the close of the 19th century. Issued for the fourth spectacle of the \u003cem data-start=\"565\" data-end=\"585\"\u003eThéâtre de l’Œuvre\u003c\/em\u003e’s 1897–1898 season, the program announces two plays: \u003cem data-start=\"639\" data-end=\"650\"\u003eL’Échelle\u003c\/em\u003e, by Gustave Vanzype, and \u003cem data-start=\"676\" data-end=\"687\"\u003eLe Balcon\u003c\/em\u003e, by Norwegian dramatist Gunnar Heiberg, translated into French by Count Prozor. Both works reflect the era's fascination with psychological nuance, emotional tension, and moral ambiguity—ideals echoed vividly in Müller’s haunting illustration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"933\" data-end=\"1351\"\u003eMüller’s lithograph is a masterwork of mood: a dimly lit balcony scene rendered in velvety blacks and muted greens. At the forefront, a couple embraces in a moment of tenderness or desperation—while a shadowy third figure looms in the background, casting an air of quiet menace. A single table with flickering candlelight completes the composition, evoking intimacy, secrecy, and theatrical symbolism in equal measure.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1353\" data-end=\"1775\"\u003eThe program is not merely a utilitarian object, but a full expression of the \u003cem data-start=\"1430\" data-end=\"1437\"\u003eŒuvre\u003c\/em\u003e’s mission to integrate avant-garde visual art with cutting-edge drama. Founded by Lugné-Poe in 1893, the Théâtre de l’Œuvre was a crucible of European Symbolism, premiering works by Ibsen, Maeterlinck, and Strindberg, often accompanied by visual contributions from leading artists of the time such as Pierre Bonnard and Édouard Vuillard.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1777\" data-end=\"2078\"\u003eAlfredo Müller, though less widely known today, was deeply embedded in the Parisian art world, often associated with the Nabis and the Symbolist press. This program is a testament to his sensitivity as a draughtsman and his ability to translate emotional tension into compelling lithographic language.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2080\" data-end=\"2380\"\u003eFew examples of these ephemeral theatrical documents survive in such well-preserved condition. Today, this illustrated program is not only a prized object for collectors of poster and theatre history but also a poetic relic of a Paris that merged art, literature, and performance with rare intensity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheater - Avant-Garde - France\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRef : Aitken 97\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGood condition\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Muller Alfredo","offers":[{"title":"39 x 28 \/ A","offer_id":51640260395335,"sku":null,"price":500.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0564\/9275\/3081\/files\/AP_22985Insta2.jpg?v=1748962001","url":"https:\/\/galerie1881.fr\/en\/products\/ap_22985","provider":"Galerie 1881","version":"1.0","type":"link"}