La Française Diamant - Paris-Brest-Paris 1911 by MICH

Description:
The poster illustrates the 1911 La Francaise Diamant victory by Émile Georget in the Paris-Brest-Paris road race, which they won in 1901 and 1911 (at that time, this race only took place every ten years).

Paris-Brest-Paris 1911 - La victoire reste fidele
à La Francaise Diamant - The redheaded woman is naked and riding a bicycle.

Graphic illustrator: MICH dit Michel Liebeau (French, 1881-1923)

Size: 120cm x 160cm

Affiches Marcial.Goffin & Cie - Paris

This is an Original Vintage Poster; it is not a reproduction. This poster is linen backed and in excellent condition. We guarantee the authenticity of all our posters.

MICH (MICHEL LIEBEAUX) (1881 - 1923)
"Mich", real name Michel Liebaux, was a French caricaturist and graphic artist of the Belle Epoque. Often using humour, he produced numerous advertising posters for consumer products, bicycles and cars.

Emile Georget. Nine Tours de France under his belt. And the record of a fine champion. The Tricolore finished 4th at the age of 23, in 1905. And 5th in 1906. His best finishes were 3rd in 1907 and 1911. His worst: 6th in 1914! Despite four retirements, Georget was clearly a Tour man. He won nine stages and took the overall lead eight times.He was also a very good Classics rider. All that came to an end with the First World War.

Additional information:
Societe la Francaise was a major contendor in cycle racing in the early years of the 20th century, and many cycles La Francaise Diamante were ridden to victory. In France, this was also the height of the Belle Epoque era, when French artists were commissioned to design bicycle posters, invariably featuring scantily-clad women to represent the ‘freedom of the road’ …bear in mind that cars and motorcycles had not yet taken over!

Belle Epoque: The years between 1871 and 1914 represent one of the most fascinating periods in European history. During this time Europe was enjoying a period of interior peace, and a modern world began to emerge. Arts and sciences developed with an incomparable speed and intensity. A joy of life awoke in all social classes, and with that a desire for new, extraordinary, sensational things. People were seized by the feeling of a new start into better times and a sense of freedom and happiness prevailed.

The company was founded in 1890 by Pierre-Victor Besse and Francis Trepier as la Société La Française, to manufacture velocipedes and components, at 27 rue Saint-Ferdinand in Paris. The name by which the company is now familiar was adopted in 1895, after they moved to 11 rue Brunel, Paris.