Absinthe Parisienne. 1896. Pierre-Henri Gelis-Didot & Louis Malteste.
32 ¾ x 47 7/8 in./83.2 x 121 cm
French advertisements loved to work with stock characters from popular culture. Pierrot and Columbina, from the Commedia dell’Arte, are two; Truth, emerging from her well, is another. This here, on the right, is Diafoirus, from Moliere’s 1673 comedy “Le Malade Imaginaire.” He was a charlatan, a quack, and a snake-oil salesman: frequently appearing in French ads and cartoons to represent a foolish endorsement of a particular product. Here, an alluring Green Fairy, holding quite a snifter of the wormwood juice, leans against a full bottle of the stuff, staying Diafoirus’s hand, as if to say: “We don’t need your help, dear. Let them try it for themselves.” The sentiment is emphasized by the caption at bottom, “So drink and you’ll see afterwards.”
