Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 5

Henri-Gabriel Ibels
1892 illustrated program for Mirages, Henri-Gabriel Ibels for the Théâtre Libre

1892

$1,179.31
£882.74
€1,000
CA$1,623.06
A$1,809.07
CHF 949.16
MX$22,091.74
NOK 12,018.42
SEK 11,359.23
DKK 7,612.70

About the Item

In this 1892 illustrated program for Mirages, Henri-Gabriel Ibels, a key figure of the Nabis movement, extends the reach of modern art deep into the realm of performance. Created for the pioneering Théâtre Libre, founded by André Antoine, this program encapsulates the spirit of an era where literature, theater, and visual art were united by a shared mission: to bring truth to the stage. Unlike the decorative dreamworlds of Symbolism, Ibels’s visual language is bold, flat, and direct — echoing the naturalist ethos of the Théâtre Libre. His illustration strips away illusion and affectation, reflecting the social realism of Mirages, a play that delves into the fragile interplay between perception and disillusionment. Executed in his signature style — with expressive contour lines, compressed perspectives, and a limited palette — Ibels treats the program not as mere advertisement, but as an extension of the dramaturgy itself. Here, the illustration functions like a prologue: it prepares the spectator’s mind, not just their eyes, for the psychological and societal conflicts that will unfold onstage. This piece is emblematic of the graphic modernism emerging in Paris in the 1890s — democratic in form, accessible in format, and radically engaged in content. It stands at the crossroads of fine art and mass communication, showing how a simple program could serve as both a collectible object and a political gesture. Today, Ibels’s work for the Théâtre Libre offers not only a glimpse into the early history of independent theater, but also a snapshot of an era when artists and playwrights together questioned the boundaries between reality and illusion — and between art and life. Theater - Avant-Garde - France Aitken Printed by Eugène Verneau in Paris
  • Creator:
    Henri-Gabriel Ibels (1867 - 1936)
  • Creation Year:
    1892
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 9.45 in (24 cm)Width: 12.6 in (32 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
    Good condition.
  • Gallery Location:
    PARIS, FR
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU1792216449352

More From This Seller

View All
1892 illustrated program by Henri-Gabriel Ibels for the Théâtre libre
Located in PARIS, FR
This striking 1892 illustrated program by Henri-Gabriel Ibels represents a rare surviving artifact from the golden age of Le Théâtre Libre, the pioneering independent theatre led by ...
Category

1890s Prints and Multiples

Materials

Paper, Lithograph

1892 Rare illustrated program by Henri-Gabriel Ibels for the Théâtre Libre
By Henri Gabriel Ibels
Located in PARIS, FR
This rare illustrated program, created in 1892 by Henri-Gabriel Ibels, is a vivid artifact from the vibrant and avant-garde world of Le Théâtre Libre, the influential Parisian theatr...
Category

1890s Prints and Multiples

Materials

Paper, Lithograph

Original 1893 illustrated program by Henri-Gabriel Ibels for Le Théâtre Libre
By Henri Gabriel Ibels
Located in PARIS, FR
This original 1893 illustrated program by Henri-Gabriel Ibels is a remarkable survival from the pioneering days of Le Théâtre Libre, André Antoine’s radical theatrical collective tha...
Category

1890s Prints and Multiples

Materials

Paper, Lithograph

1898 illustrated program by Maxime Dethomas - théâtre de l'oeuvre
By Maxime Dethomas
Located in PARIS, FR
This exceptional 1898 illustrated program by Maxime Dethomas was created for La Victoire, a five-act tragedy by Saint-Georges de Bouhélier, presented at the legendary Théâtre de l’Œu...
Category

1890s Prints and Multiples

Materials

Paper, Lithograph

Original 1895 illustrated program by Abel Truchet for La Fumée, puis la Flamme
By Francis Abel Truchet
Located in PARIS, FR
This original 1895 illustrated program, created by Abel Truchet for La Fumée, puis la Flamme, a play by Joseph Caraguel, stands as a testament to the radical spirit of Le Théâtre Lib...
Category

1890s Prints and Multiples

Materials

Paper, Lithograph

1896 illustrated program by Maxime Dethomas - Théâtre de l'oeuvre
By Maxime Dethomas
Located in PARIS, FR
This rare and beautifully composed theatre program from 1896 showcases the distinctive visual voice of Maxime Dethomas, one of the most refined illustrators of the Belle Époque. Crea...
Category

1890s Prints and Multiples

Materials

Paper, Lithograph

You May Also Like

Theatre Program for Les Fossiles
By Henri Gabriel Ibels
Located in New York, NY
Program for Les Fossiles. 29 November 1892. Second program for the 1892-1893 Theatre Libre season. Very light horizontal and vertical fold, otherwise in very good condition. Four-c...
Category

1890s Art Nouveau Figurative Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Program for Theatre Libre Boubouroche Valet De Coeur.
By Henri Gabriel Ibels
Located in New York, NY
Program for Theatre Libre Boubouroche Valet De Coeur. Sixth program for Le Theatre Libre, four-color lithograph, 1892-1893. Ref: The Color Revolution 101: Artistes et Theatre d' Ava...
Category

Late 19th Century Art Nouveau Figurative Prints

Materials

Lithograph

(after) Auguste Roubille - lithograph poster - "Theatre des Sales Gueules"
By Auguste Jean Baptiste Roubille
Located in Henderson, NV
Medium: lithograph (after the poster). Printed in 1897 on smooth wove paper and published in Paris by Librairie Nilsson. The image size is 9 1/4 x 4 inches (235 x 100 mm) and the tot...
Category

1890s Prints and Multiples

Materials

Lithograph

Program for Le Belle Au Bois Revant, Mariage D'Argent, Ahasvere. 12 June 1893.
Located in New York, NY
Program for Le Belle Au Bois Revant, Mariage D'Argent, Ahasvere. 12 June 1893. 9.25 x 12.5" Last Program for Le Theatre Libre season, four-color lithograph, 1890-1893. Ref: Artists...
Category

1890s Art Nouveau Figurative Prints

Materials

Lithograph

1897 Gisbert Combaz 'La Libre Esthetique'
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Paper Size: 11.5 x 8.25 inches ( 29.21 x 20.955 cm ) Image Size: 8 x 3.25 inches ( 20.32 x 8.255 cm ) Framed: No Condition: A: Mint Additional Details: First printing Lithogra...
Category

19th Century Art Nouveau Prints and Multiples

Materials

Lithograph

Folies-Bergère - Lithograph (Les Maîtres de l'Affiche), 1895
By Jules Chéret
Located in Paris, IDF
Jules Chéret Folies-Bergère (L'Arc-en-Ciel), 1895 Stone ithograph Printed signature in the plate On vellum Size 39 x 29 cm (c. 15.3 x 11.4") INFORMATION : Plate 21 of "Les Maîtres...
Category

1890s Art Nouveau Figurative Prints

Materials

Lithograph