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an image of a poster for a movie starring a woman in a hat
Premium Maître Nicolas CONSTANTY

14 - Djo Bourgeois (1898–1937) – *L’inhumaine*, directed by Marce…
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Estimate €20,000 - €30,000
Sale commission
Description
Djo Bourgeois (1898–1937) – *L’inhumaine*, directed by Marcel Lherbier. 1924. Printed by La Cinématographie Française. 157.5 × 117.5 cm. Original poster, lithographic print, mounted on canvas. Condition A-, slight traces of original creases, three small restored tears in the folds, four small restored tears at the edge of the right-hand margin. Whilst this poster has been regarded since its creation as one of the masterpieces of Art Deco, it is also one of the rarest in the world. To our knowledge, only four exist, to which this previously unknown copy is now added. A landmark in two respects, the film marked a turning point in the history of cinema, whilst the poster marked a turning point in advertising art and cinema posters in particular. It was therefore fitting to offer it for sale just as Art Deco has celebrated its 100th anniversary. Everything about this poster is an invention. The typography, inspired by Fernand Léger’s work on a poster project. The Cubist style, reminiscent of drawings by Sonia and Robert Delaunay. The subject matter, which depicts a key scene from the plot, whereas previously only anecdotal details had been shown. And then, of course, the reference to actual shots from the film in which the sets designed by Robert Mallet-Stevens and Fernand Léger are visible. A film that caused a scandal upon its release because it was so modern – and therefore divisive. In reality, it laid the foundations for modern cinema. A famous anecdote illustrates the intellectual exploration sought by the director, who had the premiere screened at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, where he had previously organised a fake soirée attended by the cream of Parisian society, filmed without their knowledge using hidden cameras, and intended to serve as a risqué scene in the film when the main character, Claire Lescot, comes on stage to sing. In addition to those involved in the film, the party was attended by Picasso, Man Ray, Hemingway, Cocteau, James Joyce, Ezra Pound, Lise Deharme, Erik Satie… Many prominent figures from the Surrealist circle, surprised to see themselves on screen on the night of the premiere, unwittingly drawn into the work through a mise en abyme. To understand the film’s significance, one must consider those who took part: Actors: Georgette Leblanc, Jacques Catelain, Philippe Hériat, Kiki de Montparnasse, René Clair Set design: Robert Mallet-Stevens, Fernand Léger, Alberto Cavalcanti, Claude Autant-Lara Props: Pierre Chareau, Michel Dufet, Raymond Templier, René Lalique, Jean Puiforcat, Jean Luce, Joseph Csaky, Jean Lurçat. Costumes: Paul Poiret. Music: Darius Milhaud Screenplay: Leblanc and Pierre Mac Orlan This extravaganza of stars and famous artists was by no means a coincidence, but rather a marketing campaign by L’Herbier, who wanted to turn it into a showcase for the modern arts of his time, bringing together cinema, architecture, painting, furniture, fashion, jewellery, music and dance, and technology – as a manifesto for the avant-garde and French Art Deco, just before the 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts. It was also driven by the idea that the film would be screened in the United States. Provenance: A Parisian poster artist’s holiday home in the Dordogne.
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About the sale Shocking posters! Poster sale no. 18.
Auction location
Auction time 11/05/2026 at 4:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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