Created by Jules Chéret for the Palais de Glace on the Champs-Élysées, this lively Belle Époque poster celebrates one of the most fashionable Parisian leisure activities of the late nineteenth century: ice skating. Rather than depicting the building itself, Chéret captures the sensation of the place — movement, elegance, flirtation and spectacle.

At the centre of the composition, a radiant Parisienne sweeps across the ice in a brilliant red dress, edged with dark fur and animated by a theatrical sense of motion. Her pose is light, playful and confident, while the skaters in the background suggest the social atmosphere of the rink. The poster presents the Palais de Glace not simply as a sporting venue, but as a modern meeting place, where fashion, entertainment and urban life came together.

The image is typical of Chéret’s genius as the great master of the modern poster. With only a few strong colours — red, blue, black and pale icy tones — he creates an image of exceptional visual impact. The large hand-drawn lettering curves around the figure, becoming part of the movement of the scene. The woman’s dress, the sweeping typography and the diagonal rhythm of the skater’s body all contribute to the poster’s irresistible sense of energy.

This poster also belongs to the celebrated world of the “Chérette”, Chéret’s joyful and independent female figure, who became one of the symbols of Belle Époque Paris. Here, she embodies the pleasures of the modern city: leisure, freedom, elegance and movement. Chéret transforms a simple advertisement for an ice rink into a vivid image of Parisian life at the fin de siècle.

Today, Palais de Glace – Champs-Élysées remains one of Chéret’s most charming and dynamic advertising images. It reflects the moment when the illustrated poster became a major art form in Paris, bringing colour, modernity and theatricality to

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