Yaneff.com

Full size sold for $ 5,060 US Poster Auctions International, NY. Nov 2006

As one of the most notable posterists of the Belle Époque, Ibels often presented a leisurely, everyday view of Paris and its inhabitants, much in the same vein as his friend Toulouse-Lautrec. Both artists contributed heavily to L’Escarmouche (The Skirmish), a publication which appeared in print for a mere three months. “Because of mysterious laws governing placards and posters, [this image] was never displayed on the streets but could only appear inside closed rooms.” (Schardt, p. 58).

"The contrast between the capital-owning classes with army bayonets behind them and the ordinary people caused widespread bitterness. For the common man the bar-counter became a barricade at which he voiced his dissatisfaction with the situation. In his day Ibel's admirers placed him on a par with Toulouse-Lautrec, perhaps because what one might call his stenographic drawing has much in common with Lautrec. L'Escamouche (the Skirmish) is an interesting specimen of French poster art, which, however, because of the mysterious laws governing placards and posters, was never displayed on the streets but could only appear inside closed rooms, as is expressly stated on this poster"(bottom right) (Paris 1900, p.58)

"Ibels and Lautrec were major contributors to a curiously short-lived publication, L'Escarmouche, which lasted only three months from Nov.1893 to Jan.1894. Yet in this brief period, the magazine drew on what could be termed a million-dollar pool of talent; just look at the contributors" (lower right) (Wine Spectator, 56)