Salut, Drapeau!

Art Historical Context

Henri-Gabriel Ibels' *Salut, Drapeau!* (Salute, Flag!), created in the early 189s, captures the vibrant spirit of fin-de-siècle Paris. This small-scale print, measuring 26.9 17.8 cm,ails from a dynamic era when French artists revolutionized graphic design through bold posters and illustrations. Ibels, a close associate of the Nabis and Symbolists, was renowned for his contributions to avant-garde periodicals like *Le Courrier Français* and the Noir cabaret, blending sharp social commentary with playful, decorative flair. The artwork's innovative medium—photo-relief printing enhanced by watercolor stenciling (pochoir)—exemplifies cutting-edge techniques of the time. Photo-relief involved photographic transfers etched into relief plates for precise printing, while hand-applied stencils added luminous, painterly colors, mimicking the richness of original watercolors. This labor-intensive process elevated prints from mere reproductions to collectible art objects, bridging fine art and popular culture during France's poster boom alongside masters like Toulouse-Lautrec. Today, housed in the National Gallery of Art's Virginia and Ira Jackson Collection, *Salut, Drapeau!* evokes national pride amid the Belle Époque's exuberance. Its crisp lines and vivid hues invite visitors to salute not just the flag, but the ingenuity of Ibels' era.

About the Artist

Henri-Gabriel Ibels · 1867–1936

Henri-Gabriel Ibels (1867–1936) was a French illustrator, printmaker, painter, and author born in Paris to parents of Dutch ancestry. His early life remains sparsely documented, but he trained at the Académie Julian alongside fellow students Pierre Bonnard and Édouard Vuillard, where Paul Sérusier mentored him into the nascent Nabis group. In 1889, Ibels became a founding member of Les Nabis along...