A Final Comment on the MAM's "Poster of Paris" Collection

<p> In the Milwaukee Art Museum's current exhibition, “Posters of Paris: Toulouse Lautrec and his Contemporaries,” women portrayed on the posters take a central position in this particular stage. Standing in this same gallery where the bicycle poster display nudes to advertise certain products, especially bicycles, an adjacent wall in the same gallery features Paris Posters with fully clothed women who ride the very same bicycles and mopeds the women previously advertised in the nude to travel around Paris and into the French countryside. </p> <p>The invention of the bicycle and motorcycle finally allowed women an opportunity to travel completely unaccompanied through Paris streets or into parts unknown, the surrounding country, a premiere ride for their own independence. Whether dividing up their long skirts with a strap tucked into their waist belts or wearing a “bifurcated garment,&quot; a split skirt similar to a wide culotte and perhaps the forerunner to Coco Chanel's actual slim legged pants for women, the two wheeled vehicles transformed women's ability to see the world on their&nbsp;own terms and on their time frame. The invention began a new age of allowing women out of the home environment illuminated by<em> Steinlen's Comiot Motorcycles (1899), &nbsp;Mucha's Cycle Perfecta (1902)</em> and Eugène Grasset's <em>Marque Georges Richard Cycles</em> &amp; <em>Automobiles (1899).</em> </p> <p> Portraying the nudes advertising for bicycles in this particular art gallery alongside the other bicycle advertisements depicting how these vehicles allowed women new freedom reminds modern culture of how far women have come. From a certain public identity during the late 19th century, before they even acquired the vote, to how far they there still is to go in restructuring that identity, as somehow it has remained very similar to the nudes on the cycles. Perhaps women would prefer being depicted as women of substance on an important journey instead of an object pictured on a poster or screen, even if delightfully designed, to sell a product or perhaps themselves. However, sexuality still sells products, whether Abercrombie and Fitch clothing (or the non-clothing as it appears on the posters in their stores that tell the story), cosmetics, jewelry or name numerous products sold by accentuating a women\'s physical features. &nbsp;</p> <p> Notice how many of the Paris posters portray women, what feature(s) the poster accentuates on the women, and for what the poster uses this particular image for. Then decide what might be a favorite image and why. While appreciating every poster in this dynamic and popular collection, contemplate this delicate and profound dichotomy and how it subtly illustrates the status of women then and now, before the exhibition closes on September 9. </p> <p>Art carries the distinguished potential to illustrate the best and worst of a society's cultural soul in a still image. Perhaps after leaving the exhibit, remember to compliment a significant woman in one's life, even woman to woman, about her fabulous character trait or scholarly prowess in lieu of how she dresses or her shimmering hair, a great pair of shoes or that lustrous lipstick shade. </p> <p>This becomes even more important for six-year-old girls, who may constantly be told how “cute” they are instead of how compassionate, diligent or intelligent they are, traits inherent to their character. Then explain how this fascinating collection of &quot;Posters of Paris&quot; at the Milwaukee Art Museum inspired you to discover these very perceptive observations about “her.” This women (or small girl) with thank the stars above someone noticed who she really is on the interior, “her,” instead of only one or two features of her physical body and exterior picture. She might then hurry to view the “Posters of Paris” to determine her own perceptions on the exhibition and these historical and contemporary cultural associations and how they might influence society today, or her perception of herself. The surface artifice replaced by concentrating on meaningful and momentous art. </p> <p><em> The Milwaukee Art Museum presents the “Posters of Paris: Toulouse Lautrec and His Contemporaries” through September 9, For further information please visit: www.mam.org.</em></p>