Nouveau Cirque / Le Carnaval de Venise
Buy this print on Etsy →Step into the dazzling nightlife of Belle Époque Paris with this spectacular poster for the Nouveau Cirque at 251 rue Saint-Honoré and its show 'Le Carnaval de Venise.' Across a shimmering lagoon strung with lanterns, gondolas glide past a torch-lit bridge, each one crowded with masked revellers and commedia dell'arte characters - Pierrot, Harlequin, Columbine - while a grinning clown throws his arms wide in the foreground. It is a riot of colour, movement and festivity, and it captures a truly one-of-a-kind entertainment.
The Nouveau Cirque was one of the wonders of nineteenth-century Paris. Opened in 1886, it was the first circus in the city with electric light and, most famously, a ring that could be lowered and flooded to become a swimming pool - allowing for astonishing 'aquatic pantomimes' exactly like the Venetian carnival shown here, with performers, boats and clowns splashing through the water. Audiences had never seen anything like it, and posters like this one were designed to lure them in with the promise of pure spectacle.
Everything about the sheet is built for excitement: the huge red 'CIRQUE' lettering, the sweeping ribbon carrying the title, the fireworks of detail across the water, and the ticket prices and showtimes printed below (evenings at half past eight, with matinees on Thursdays, Sundays and holidays). It is a perfect example of the French affiche at its most joyous, from the golden age of Parisian circus and cabaret.
As wall art it is an instant mood-lifter. The festive palette and swirling carnival energy make it a natural for a living room, home bar or games room, a theatre or music room, a child's room or a lively gallery wall. It is a wonderful gift for lovers of the circus, Venice, Carnival, commedia dell'arte and vintage French posters, and it pairs beautifully with other cabaret and Belle Époque prints.
Because the original dates to the turn of the twentieth century, it is now in the public domain, which is why we can reproduce it at full museum quality.
Each print is produced on premium 189 gsm museum-grade archival matte paper, faithfully capturing the bright colours, lantern-lit detail and warm vintage tones of the original lithograph - ready to frame and enjoy for years to come.
