Sem (Fiat Triomple) White Bottoms. Paris, 1927. Sold

Album 27 Planche 39 “La Fiat triomphe a Deauville"

Georges Goursat (1863 – 1934) was a French caricaturist known as “Sem.” In 1888 Goursat self-published three albums of caricatures, signing them "SEM." It is thought that this was in tribute to the early 19th century French caricaturist and lithographer Charles Amédée de Noé, who signed his caricatures for the periodical “Le Monde Illustré”as "Cham."

A charming and talented man, Goursat was working in Paris at the time of the opening of the Universal Exposition in 1900 where the Art Nouveau style in architecture and decoration was hugely popular. His inspiration came from observing French high society enjoying life at restaurants, at the opera and at the races. Goursat actually choose horse racing as his way of entry to French "Beau Monde." Just three months after his arrival to Paris he self-published an album titled “Le Turf” with caricatures of many prominent Parisians. The success of this album made him famous overnight.

Goursat supported himself selling illustrations both humorous and serious to the French major periodicals of the day. He put together albums of caricatures depicting high society in Monte Carlo, Deauville, the Cote d’Azur, and Paris. He wrote articles and created posters illustrating the tourist towns of Deauville, Cannes and Monte Carlo. His art is particularly associated with the Belle Epoque and his unique style of drawing brought him great success and fame.

The printing method Goursat utilized is called pochoir. It was a technique of creating prints by applying color and line with cutout stencils. Some pochoir prints utilized thirty stencils for a single image. These prints are wonderful examples and historically significant as reference to Belle Epoque France. We are pleased to be able to offer such a wide variety of the very best images.

The Triumph Motor Company was a British car and motor manufacturing company in the 19th and 20th centuries. Triumph manufactured its first car in 1923. It makes sense that Sem portrayed the car in Deauville as the town was home to France’s high society’s seaside homes and is often referred to as the Parisian Riviera.

Pochoir print
13 x 19 ¾ inches sheet.
Good condition some browning and old staining in image, although not distracting.