Original 1916 La Vie Parisienne Illustration by A. Vallée, “Poules D’Eau” (Water Hens)

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An original illustrated page from the iconic French magazine La Vie Parisienne, featuring “Poules d’Eau” (“Water Hens”) by French illustrator … Read more An original illustrated page from the iconic French magazine La Vie Parisienne, featuring “Poules d’Eau” (“Water Hens”) by French illustrator A. Vallée.

This striking Art Deco-era composition depicts a stylish young woman in an orange bathing costume maneuvering a small boat through the reeds, while another figure watches from the shoreline. The image perfectly captures the modern spirit of the 1920s—athletic, fashionable, and liberated—while retaining the playful wit for which La Vie Parisienne was renowned.

The title, “Poules d’Eau,” literally translates to “Water Hens,” a tongue-in-cheek French expression, while the caption below reads:

“Un gibier dont, Dieu merci! la chasse n’est jamais fermée.”

Roughly translated:

“Game that, thank heaven, is never out of season.”

Published in Paris during the height of the Jazz Age, La Vie Parisienne illustrations remain highly sought after by collectors of French graphic arts, fashion history, and Art Deco design.

A beautiful and highly decorative example of vintage French illustration, ideal for framing.

Details
Publication: La Vie Parisienne
Artist: A. Vallée
Title: Poules d’Eau (“Water Hens”)
Date: January 15, 1916
Issue: 54th Year, No. 3
Origin: Paris, France
Medium: Color lithograph on paper
Language: French
Style: Art Deco / Belle Époque / French Illustration
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