Consolation
1907
In this witty 1907 illustration titled 'Consolation,' a distressed gentleman sits slumped in a chair with his head in his hand, while a glamorous woman in a feathered hat and flowing gown leans over to comfort him. The scene looks like a tender moment, but the handwritten caption at the bottom reveals a cheeky twist: the woman tells her 'little author' that if she removed her corset and part of her costume, the 'effect would be much more sure.' Fernand Louis Gottlob was a master of Belle Époque humor, and this piece perfectly captures the playful, slightly risqué spirit of Parisian theater life with fluid, expressive lines typical of the Art Nouveau style.
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