In Le Grand Guignol I discussed the history of this Parisian theater of terror. For their posters and other graphic work they often called on Adrien Barrère who had to make the fear visible. There is no doubt that his works of art attracted many Parisians and tourists to Le Grand Guignol.
Who was this Adrien Barrère?
He is born on November 13, 1874 in the Boulevard Richard Lenoir 36 in Paris, as Adrien Albert Athanase Baneux. His father Emil is 43 and a registrar at the Civil Court. He is also a talented writer of music lyrics. Mother is Alphonsine Joséphine de Barrère. Adrien will later use her surname to sign his drawings. His parents married at the end of 1871 and Adrien is their first child. He is 8 when his sister Marguerite is born. Alphonsine is then 39 and no other children follow.
Adrien studies law and medicine. The latter at the 'Faculté de médecine de Paris'. But like his father he has also another interest and talent. It's not music but drawing. In 1903 he draws the first of four caricatures of the professors of the medical faculty.
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| Reproduction in 'Le Journal' with names of the professors |
In 1907 he draws 'Nude Lady'. It shows surgeon Eugène Doyen, who caused a scandal after it is revealed that he takes pictures of anatomical parts and has operations filmed. Lithographs are made of the drawings, which many medicine students want in their roooms. It is estimated that eventually nearly 400.000 copies of the 4 lithographs are sold.
Below: 1907 - 1908 -1910
Adrien soon realizes that he can earn money with his drawings. In november 1894
Felix Juven launches the satirical, weekly magazine '
Le Rire'. In 1906 he starts with '
Fantasio', a humorous magazine that appears twice a month. Barrère works for both magazines. In Fantasio he contributes the caricatures for the critical and satirical column 'Tête de Turc', about a famous personality, that appears in each number.
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| Fantasio - February 15 1916 |
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| Fantasio - July 1st 1916 |
Around 1908 Barrère starts drawing film posters for Pathé. One of the first is the 'Tous y mènent leurs enfants!' poster.
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| 1913 - director unknown |
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| 1914 - Caught in a Cabaret - with Mabel Normand |
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| 1912 - Albert Capellani |
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| Ferdinand Zecca - 1912 |
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| Jeanne Florentine Bourgeois aka Mistinguett |
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| Henri Gambart - 1911 |
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| Ferdinand Zecca + René Leprince - 1914 |
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| Romeo Bosetti - 1913 |
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| Director unknown - 1912 |
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| 1930 |
From around 1903 Barrère also regularly draws posters for 'Le Grand Guignol', which are displayed in the streets of Paris to attract spectators the theater. Below:
-1903 Le Système du Docteur Goudron et du Professeur Plume
-1904 La Dernière Torture
-1916 Le Laboratoire des Hallucinations
-1919 Harakiri
-1920 Le Sorcier
-1920 Les Pervertis
-1920 L' Étreinte
-1928 L' Homme qui a Tué la Mort
-1928 Gott mit uns
-1929 Le Baiser de Sang
-1929 Les Pantins de Vice
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| Le Grand Guignol on tour outside Paris |
From the mid-twenties the following address is mentioned on the posters: 26 Rue Philippe de Girard. This is the home address of Adrien Barrère, who prints the posters himself.
Besides his regular assignments for magazines, Pathé and Le Grand Guignol, Adrien Barrère also occasionally draws a book cover or publicity.
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| Felix Mayol (1972-1941) - French singer and entertainer |
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| Theater 'Nouvel Ambigu' Paris 1920 |
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| Théâtre des Arts - Paris 1928 |
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| 1919 - Barrère didn't sign the poster |
The First World War
In 1914 Barrère is rejected from military service, because he suffers from extrapulmonary tuberculosis in his bones. Still he goes to the frontline to make sketches. In 4 years he draws around 1300.
Below: Barrère pasted his sketches in a scrapbook.
After the war a number of sketches are collected in an album: L'Album des Poilus
On march 28 1927, Adrien Barrère, then 52, marries with the 50-year old Alice Jeanne Bidel. Altough his real name, Baneux, is mentioned in the official deed, he signs as Barrère, as he always does. In 1907 he is best man at the marriage of his sister Marie Marguerite and also signs as Barrère. His mother signs as Baneux.
The marriage only last 4 years. On may 19, 1931, Adrien Barrère dies in the Saint-Joseph hospital in the Rue Pierre Larousse 1. He is only 56. Below: L' Informateur médical
Next: Max Linder and Adrien Barrère
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