This is a
very nice antiquarian (circa 1900) caricature done by Georges Goursat, a popular caricaturist of France's "Belle Epoque" period who was known as "Sem" and whose drawings typically featured the social elite, actors, singers, politicians, and the like who frequented Maxim's, Longchamp Downs, etc. He published many of his drawings in various French newspapers and magazines (see a photo of SEM directly below).
Georges Goursat (Sem), 1914
The caricature is a signed original hand-colored pochoir lithograph print on woven paper from about 1900. It is an original antique print and not a modern reproduction.
This caricature shows a beautiful lady glancing sideways at a lone gentleman. The lady is Mlle. Cleo de Merode. She was a well-known ballerina during the Belle Epoque and was purported to be a King Leopold II's mistress. She was also a dancer at Folies-Bergere. Her identification was penciled in by someone (by SEM?) above her hat (please see photo directly below).
The gentleman is Gillibert. His identification was penciled in by someone (by Sem?) above his hat (please see photo directly below).
The caption at the bottom translates to
"But no, Madamoiselle, it is not HIM!"
Perhaps this is Mlle. de Merode's escort way telling her that the gentleman is not King Leopold ("HIM"), but is someone else who may look like him, e.g., "Gillibert"? The picture is also signed by SEM 1900 in the lower right. On the back side of the picture at the bottom is very lightly penciled in (by SEM?) "Monte Carlo."
Condition. There is toning, especially around the edges. The edges have minor wear and tears and small creases, common imperfections associated with age.
All in all, the primary depiction of the subject is itself in good condition with no tears or folds or stains.
{Sold by DesertGold, 2015, $75.}
