Jean Dominique Van Caulaert

JEAN DOMINIQUE VAN CAULAERT (Saint-Saulve, France, 1897 - Suresnes, France, 1979).
"Mistinguett dans ça c'est Parisien - Théatre Mogador", 1937.
Lithograph poster on paper.
Atelier Girbal, Paris.
Measurements: 156 x 118 cm; 160 x 122 cm (frame).

The vedette, singer and actress Mistinguett (1875 - 1956) made her debut at the Casino de Paris in 1895, later participating in shows at the Folies Bergère, the Moulin Rouge and Eldorado. She became one of the most popular French artists of her time and the most important woman in show business. She was the first to interpret the song Ça c'est Paris ("This is Paris"), by José Padilla, called by the writer Jacques Charles the "hymn of the Parisians".

A student of the Belgian painter, sculptor and muralist Constant Montald at the Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels, Jean Dominique Van Caulaert devoted himself to painting, poster illustration and decoration. His fantastic technique led him to become a favorite of the Art Deco period. From 1933, he began to paint personalities and stars of the Paris show business, including Edith Piaf, Tino Rossi, Mistinguett, Rena Kaetty and Nita Rahia. His career as a poster artist, on the other hand, began in the late 1930s. He devoted himself to the stars of the Music Halls, working only for the biggest names: Marie Dubas, Lyse Gauty, Mistinguett, etc. He used mainly chalk and pastel to create his realistic portraits.