127 - René GRUAU (1909–2004), after

René GRUAU (1909–2004), after *Le Rouge Baiser, sans hésiter* Original polychrome lithograph on paper 56 x 44 cm Two slight creases From fashion illustration to advertising, the extensive body of work by René Gruau (1909–2004) is characterized by powerful lines, framing, and layout—qualities inherited from the early 20th-century poster artists, such as Toulouse-Lautrec. Elegance is also a hallmark of this close friend of Dior, who was a constant presence in the fashion world for nearly sixty years. While his collaboration with the House of Christian Dior, beginning in the late 1940s, brought him international recognition, René Gruau also created numerous other advertising campaigns in the fields of perfumery, fashion, cosmetics, travel, and luxury goods, constantly reinventing French elegance. Among them were campaigns for the brands Rouge Baiser, Bemberg, Blizzand, Eminence... and so many others, including promotional campaigns for the Parisian cabarets Le Moulin Rouge and the Lido. His dynamic graphic style was inspired by the early-20th-century poster artists, who themselves drew inspiration from the Japonism popularized by Samuel Bing in the Paris of Toulouse-Lautrec. Gruau’s body of work is infinitely rich; his masterful line has defined the portrayal of women for over sixty years. A witness to his time, Gruau has also left a lasting visual mark on several generations through his timeless work.