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These sketches often show couples where the man is much older than the woman, and also touch on questions of class and consent. Oxygénée Cusenier could, apparently, truly help with all kinds of issues!

Descriptions & references are, as always, in the captions.

#DrinkingStudies #Absinthe #HistoryOfAbsinthe #Alcohol #HistoryOfAlcohol #Sketches #Aperitif #FrenchHistory #History

This image shows a sketch, black on yellowish paper. It shows a scene outside, with two trees in the foreground, framing the sketch. It shows a hotel, with two tables outside. At one of these tables is a couple, kissing, hidden by the large hat of the woman. In the door is a waiter, carrying a bottle - of Cusenier - to them. In the foreground is a man, wearing a top hat and a walking stick, looking at them.

Below them, it says, in French: "The colonel's trick. - What a joker the colonel is! I can see his famous trick with the women! He makes them drink Oxygénée Cusenier and they can no longer resist him!"

This sketch was published in "Le Sourire" on the 28.05.1910, p. 10.

This image shows a sketch, black on yellowish paper. It shows a couple, inside, getting ready. The woman, who seems to be wearing underclothes and with her hair yet undone, stands behind the man and seems to be fixing his mustache. The man is already clothed, smoking a cigarette. The woman is talking to the man.

Below the image it says, in French: "Aperitif. - You take it every day, don't you, darling, Oxygénée Cusenier? It's so good."

The sketch was published in "Le Sourire" on the 08.11.1902, p. 11.

This image shows a sketch, black on yellowish paper. it shows a couple, walking along a street or perhaps across a bridge. Day. In the background, there are trees and parts of building. In the foreground is a couple, consisting of an older man with a mustache and a top hat and a younger woman. Both are wearing elegant clothes. The woman is wearing a fur coat and carries a handbag.

Below the image it says, in French: "Mademoiselle, do you want my heart? - Monsieur, I am an honest girl! - Will you accept an Oxygénée Cusenier? - Ah, you playful man! How you seduce women!"

This sketch was published in "Le Sourire" on the 05.10.1907, p. 10.

This image shows a sketch, black on yellowish paper. It shows a scene outside. In the background are groups of elegant people, standing, under trees. In the foreground are two men, sitting on chairs. One of the men, on the left, is dark-haired, wearing elegant clothes. His legs are crossed and he has a walking stick in his right hand. He wears a top hat and has lifted his left hand towards the other man. The other man is wearing much less elegant clothes and has a stick in his mouth.

Below the image it says, in French: "But no, my dear Ivan Éléphantovitch, it is not that your kind of beauty displeases Parisian women, it is just that you lack drive and vivacity. All you have to do to get it [drive and vivacity] is drink Oxygénée Cusenier, and all the women will go crazy for you!"

This sketch was published in "Le Sourire" on the 03.07.1909, p. 10.

The idea most commonly depicted in these sketches for Oxygénée Cusenier seems to be that women will be more attracted to a man if he is an avid drinker. Amazing! These are just a few examples from the early 20th century by different French artists. Details in the captions!

#DrinkingStudies #Absinthe #HistoryOfAbsinthe #Alcohol #HistoryOfAlcohol #Sketches #FrenchHistory #History

Sketch, black on yellowish paper. It shows a couple, in a field, during the day. The man is on his knee, pointing his left arm to the sky and with his right harm over his heart. The woman is holding a butterfly net and smiles down at him. Both wear elegant clothes.

Below them, it says, in French: "The poet - To quench your thirst for the ideal and for love, to water your heart and your soul, what should I do, o woman? The woman. - Well, my dear, offer me a glass of Oxygénée Cusenier: When it's hot, it's heaven!"

This sketch was published in "Le Sourire" on the 26.06.1909, p. 10.

This image is a sketch, black on yellowish paper. It shows several people in the terrace of a café, during the day. On the left hand side, in the back, are two men standing under a tree. One of them is wearing a uniform. On the right hand side, there is a waiter, cleaning a table. In the front is a standing couple, consisting of an older man and a young woman, their faces close together. Both are wearing elegant clothes; the woman wears a hat with a complicated flower arrangement. The man is holding the woman's head in his left hand, while the woman is holding his coat.

Below the image, it says, in French: "Listen, do you want to be nice, oh so nice? - I see what it is: dress or hat? - No, just a simple Oxygénée Cusenier."

This sketch was published in "Le Sourire" on the 02.05.1908, p. 10.

This image shows a sketch, black on yellowish paper. It shows the rough outline of a plane, with a couple in it, in the open air. Behind them is the outline of Paris and the sun, but in the centre of the sun is a bottle of Oxygénée Cusenier. The man is at a steering wheel, while the woman stands half behind him, smiling at him. Both are wearing elegant clothes.

Below the image, it says, in French: "To please the ladies. Him. - I'm sure what attracted you to me was that I'm an aviator? Her. - But no, you big silly [man]! It's that you're a great drinker of Oxygénée Cusenier!"

This sketch was published in "Le Sourire" on the 06.11.1909, p. 10.

This image shows a sketch, black on yellowish paper. It shows a couple inside. Behind them is an unmade bed, on the left, and a washing basin, on the right. The dark-haired woman, wearing a dark dress, is standing behind the man, her left hand on his shoulder, her right hand on his arm. The man - dark haired and with a mustache - is fixing his tie, looking at her.

Beneath the image it says, in French: "To be adored by women? Drink Oxygénée Cusenier"

This sketch was published in "Le Sourire" on the 30.03.1907, p. 10.

In time for Easter: These two sketches show women reacting to being given Oxygénée Cusenier instead of chocolate eggs, with the one on the left (by Georges Léonnec, 1909) describing it as a "talisman of eternal love & youth" & the one on the right as "tasteful" (by A. Bertrand, 1905).

#DrinkingStudies #Absinthe #Alcohol #HistoryOfAlcohol #HistoryOfAbsinthe #FrenchHistory #History #Sketches #caricature #Easter

This image shows a sketch, black on yellowish paper. It shows a bedroom. In the bed is a dark-haired young woman in a kind of négligée. She is sitting up in bed. Next to the bed is a man in a coat, his arms on his hips. On the bed is a top hat and cane, next to it an Easter egg, opened, with a bottle of Cusenier inside. Below it, it says, in French: "A bottle of Oxygénée Cusenier!... Ah! how kind you are, my big wolf! You're giving me a talisman of eternal love and youth."

The title of this sketch is "The Easter egg of Nichonette", a pet name that should probably be translated as something like "the little breast".

This sketch was published in "Le Sourire" on the 10.04.1909, p. 10.

This image is a narrow sketch, black on yellowish paper. It shows a dark-haired woman, in an elegant black dress, standing in front of a table. On the table is a parcel, labelled as "Cusenier". Below this, it says, in French: "That's the spirit! A case of Cusenier liqueurs! A tasteful change from the usual Easter egg sweets."

This sketch was published in "Le Sourire" on the 25.02.1905, p. 11.

A deep feeling of same regret - of not having distributed absinthe to the troops - is shown in this sketch from 1907 by the French caricaturist Jules Depaquit. The description explains: "If I had given a [glass of] Oxygénée Cusenier to each of my soldiers on the morning of Waterloo, I would not be on Saint Helena!"

#DrinkingStudies #Absinthe #HistoryOfAbsinthe #Alcohol #HistoryOfAlcohol #FrenchHistory #Sketch #Sketches #History #Historian #caricature #Napoleon

This image shows a sketch, black on yellowish paper. It shows s small man - Napoleon - sitting on a chair in a full uniform and with his distinctive hat. In front of him is a large table with a bottle of Cusenier on. He has a full glass in his left hand. Behind him there are large shadows of both himself and the bottle. Below the image, it says, in French: "If I had given a [glass of] Oxygénée Cusenier to each of my soldiers on the morning of Waterloo, I would not be on Saint Helena!"

This sketch was published in "Le Sourire" on the 09.02.1907, p. 10.

Another one showing Father Christmas: This one is by the French artist A. Bertrand, from 1906, with Père Noël saying: "Toys for the little ones, Oxygénée Cusenier for the grown-ups - that is how you make everyone happy!" I love the umbrella he seems to be carrying!

#DrinkingStudies #Absinthe #HistoryOfAbsinthe #History #Sketches #FrenchHistory #Alcohol #HistoryOfAlcohol #Historians

This image shows a drawing, black on yellowish paper. It shows, in the foreground, a man with a white beard, in a black coat, shown as standing on the ground, but in front of clouds. On his back, he carries a basket, which he holds in place with his right hand. In his left hand, he has an umbrella that he leans on. He has a pipe in his mouth. Behind him, on the left hand side, is a village, with illuminated windows of a little church.

Below the image, it says, in French: "Toys for the little ones, Oxygénée Cusenier for the grown-ups - that is how you make everyone happy!"

This sketch was published in "Le Sourire" on the 22.12.1906, p. 10.

Even art found its way into these pro-absinthe sketches in "Le Sourire"! In 1908, the French illustrator Markous drew Rodin's sculpture "The Kiss" [from 1882]. The spectator is shown as saying: "To get the models to pose for him, he had to give them some Oxygénée Cusenier."

#DrinkingStudies #Absinthe #HistoryOfAbsinthe #Alcohol #HistoryOfAlcohol #ArtHistory #Art #Sketches #FrenchHistory

This image shows a sketch, black on yellowish paper. In the centre of the image is a sculpture - Rodin's "Le Baiser" - showing a sitting naked man and woman, kissing. We see the sculpture from the back, showing the naked back of the man and the arms of the woman. On the left hand side is a man, much smaller than the sculpture. He is wearing elegant clothes and a giant bow tie [don't know what this is called, sorry!], has a beard and moustache, carries a cane and a top hat. The sketch is called, in French: "In front of the 'Kiss' by Rodin.

This sketch was published in "Le Sourire", on the 07.03.1908, p. 10.

Other sketches showed seasonal celebrations like this one by Falco from 1908: Father Christmas is shown as distributing presents - bottles of Oxygénée Cusenier, of course! - by plane in Paris. Christmas is here a celebration of both progress (the plane) and absinthe, apparently!

#DrinkingStudies #Absinthe #HistoryOfAbsinthe #Alcohol #HistoryOfAlcohol #FrenchHistory

This image is a sketch, black on yellowish paper. It shows, in the centre, Père Noël, sitting in a simple sort of plane, with bottles of Cusenier stored on the wings. Father Christmas - with a long white beard and in a dark coat - throws bottles of Cusenier down the chimneys of two houses in this image. Behind this, we can see more houses of Paris, with the Eiffel Tour in the background.

Below the image it says, in French: "Long live progress! Thanks to this marvellous aeroplane, I'm doing my traditional rounds without getting tired, and next year, everyone will be in good health, because I'm bringing everyone a bottle of Oxygénée Cusenier."

This sketch was published in "Le Sourire" on the 26.12.1908, p. 9.

Many of these sketches showed political figures. This one here - by Paul d'Espagnat - shows F.D. Roosevelt in 1910. Roosevelt explains that he got through the many events of a recent Europe trip with the help of absinthe: "Thanks to Oxygéne Cusenier, my dear! That's my secret."

#DrinkingStudies #Absinthe #HistoryOfAbsinthe #Alcohol #HistoryOfAlcohol #Roosevelt #FranklinDelanoRoosevelt #FrenchHistory

This image is a sketch, black on yellowish paper. It seems to show two people on the deck of a ship, as, in the back, you can see a man in uniform. These two men are wearing hats and warm, but elegant clothes and glasses. The one on the left, with a mustache, says to the other one, who is labelled as F.D. Roosevelt in the caption.
The caption says, in French: "The Secret of Mr. Roosevelt. - Oh, Mr. Roosevelt, during your trip to Europe you took part in 400 lunches, 700 dinners, 900 events, 1,000 official galas and you shook 50,000 hands! How did you cope with all this? - Thanks to Oxygénée Cusenier, my dear! That's my secret."

This sketch was published in "Le Sourire", on the 11.06.1910, p. 10.

This same idea of longevity through the consumption of absinthe can also be found in this sketch from A. Bertrand, published in 1904. The description explains: "The wise men of the past did not find the Elixir of Long Life, but Oxygénée Cusenier has since been invented."

#DrinkingStudies #Absinthe #HistoryOfAbsinthe #Alcohol #HistoryOfAlcohol #Sketches #FrenchHistory

This image shows a sketch, black on yellowish paper. In the centre of the image stands a bearded man, in a black gown and glasses. Behind him are shelves with books and, apparently, alchemical instruments.

Below this image, it says, in French: "The wise men of the past did not find the Elixir of Long Life, but Oxygénée Cusenier has since been invented."

This sketch was published in "Le Sourire", on the 29.10.1904, p. 12.

These sketches also play with the idea that Cusenier drinkers lived very long lives. This one here shows a middle-class family paying to see a 100-year-old woman who allegedly used this money to buy her weekly bottle of "Oxygénée Cusenier"!

#DrinkingStudies #Absinthe #HistoryOfAbsinthe #Alcohol #HistoryOfAlcohol #Sketches #WomensHistory #Gender

This image shows a sketch, black on yellowish paper. It shows a family - mother, father and young son, in middle-class clothes, stand in front of an open door. On a sign next to the door is a sign, on which it says, in French: "Here you can see a hundred-year-old woman for two sous." Next to the sign is a man in mended clothes. He is leaning forward and pointing towards the door. Beneath the image, it says: "Visit to the one hundred-year-old [woman]. - You must earn a lot? - Not always!... there are weeks when it doesn't pay for a litre of Oxygénée Cusenier."

This sketch was published in "Le Sourire" on the 27.07.1907, p. 10.

Not only humans were portrayed as gaining strength from Cusenier: The French artist Jacques Nam - known for his depictions of animals - showed a meeting between tiger & cat in 1909, with the tiger explaining his status/size/strength (?) through his daily consumption of absinthe!

#DrinkingStudies #Absinthe #HistoryOfAbsinthe #Alcohol #HistoryOfAlcohol #Art #Sketches

This image shows a drawing, black on yellowish paper. It shows a tiger, lying on the ground - in a cage? - with a white cat sitting in front of him, looking up to him.

Below them, it says, in French: "The Cat. - How is it, brother, that you've profited so much? The Tiger. - Because instead of drinking milk, like you, I had to drink Cusenier Oxygen every day!"

This sketch was published in "Le Sourire" on the 02.01.1909, p. 10.

This idea of strength through absinthe can be found regularly in these Cusenier sketches in "Le Sourire". In this one here from 1912 - by A. Bertrand - a man is about to be robbed & says: "There are only two of them... Bah! I would not fear five; I've just drunk an Oxygénée Cusenier!"

#DrinkingStudies #Absinthe #HistoryOfAbsinthe #Masculinity

This image shows a drawing, black on yellowish paper. It shows a scene, outside, either in the dark or in fog. At the front is a man, with his back to us, holding a walking cane in his left hand. He is looking forward, where two men stand, somewhat threateningly, waiting for him. The sketch has the title "Health, Vigour".

Below the image, it says, in French: "The Bourgeois. - There are only two of them... Bah! I would not fear five; I've just drunk an Oxygénée Cusenier!..."

This sketch was published in "Le Sourire" on the 07.11.1912, p. 19.

There are some absinthe sketches that I just don't understand. This one here - by A. Bertrand from 1904 - is called "Thirst in the Sahara". In it, the "emperor of the desert" says: "My kingdom, my kingdom for a [bottle of] Oxygénée Cusenier", obviously an allusion to Richard III.

#DrinkingStudies #Absinthe #HistoryOfAbsinthe

This image shows a sketch, black on yellowish paper. It shows a desert landscape - with bones and and a cactus and birds in the sky on the top right. In the centre, there is a king - an emperor! - on his knees, wearing a crown and a cape. He is praying and looking towards the sky. The image is called "Thirst in the Sahara".

This image can be found in "Le Sourire", on the 30.01.1904, p. 12.

The French artist Paul d'Espagnat (whose other images are further up in this thread) depicted Abdul Hamid II a third time in November 1909.

In this sketch, the leaders of Austria, Bulgaria and Greece offer him three bottles of absinthe in exchange for Bosnia, Bulgaria and Crete, to which he replies: "Three bottles of Oxygénée Cusenier! I win!"

#DrinkingStudies #Absinthe #HistoryOfAbsinthe #OttomanEmpire

This image shows a sketch, black on yellowish paper. It shows, on the very right, the Ottoman sultan Abdul Hamid II. He wears a uniform, with medals and a fez, holding up both hands. To his left are three men, each of them holding up a bottle. These three men named as François-Joseph, Ferdinand and Georges, presumably Franz Joseph I of Austria, Ferdinand I of Bulgaria and George I of Greece. The image has the title "A diplomatic combination".

Below the image, it says, in French: "Franz Joseph, Ferdinand and George: Commander of the Believers, this is what we offer in exchange for Bosnia, Bulgaria and Crete. Abd-ul-Hamid: Three bottles of Oxygénée Cusenier! I win!"

This image was published in "Le Sourire" on the 28.11.1908, p. 10.

This one is perhaps even more astonishing. It shows a meeting between two French soldiers - one from 1908 & one from 1808. The one from 1908 tells his military ancestor that each conscript now carries a bottle of Cusenier Oxygen in their bag - "and that makes us superhuman!"

#DrinkingStudies #Absinthe #History #HistoryOfAbsinthe #MilitaryHistory #Aperitif #FrenchHistory

This image shows a sketch, black on a yellowish background. It shows two French conscripts, talking to each other. The soldier on the left is from 1909, while the one on the right is from 1809. Their uniforms are very different. The one from 1809 says: “In the past, each of us had a bâton de maréchal in our bag and that made us men!” The one from 1909, who says: “Today, we're content to carry a bottle of Cusenier Oxygen in our bag... and that makes us superhuman!”

This drawing was published in "Le Sourire", on the 28.08.1909, p. 9.

Amongst all these Cusenier sketches, I have found two showing military contexts - both from the French artist Georges Léonnec & published 1909 - that I find absolutely amazing. The first one implies that Napoleon would have won in 1812 against Russia with the help of absinthe...

#DrinkingStudies #Absinthe #History #HistoryOfAbsinthe #MilitaryHistory #NapoleonBonaparte #Aperitif #FrenchHistory

This image shows a drawing, black on yellowish paper, of Napoleon's 1812 retreat from Moscow. In the front, you can see the silhouette of Napoleon on a horse, followed, a bit further back, by perhaps 15 riders. They are riding through the snow. On the horizon is a huge black cloud, pushed back, at the very left hand side of the drawing, by a bottle in the sky, surrounded by rays of sunshine. Below the image, it says, in French: If this beautiful sun, Oxygene Cusenier, had shone upon the Grande Armée in 1812, France would have been saved once again!”

The title of the drawing is "A New Sun of Austerlitz".

This drawing was published in "Le Sourire", on the 05.06.1909, p. 10.

If you are interested in the history of drinks & find yourself in Switzerland this week, do come to my talk about my book "The Hour of Absinthe: A Cultural History of France's Most Notorious Drink" at the "Maison de l'Absinthe" in Môtiers! I will focus on absinthe's fascinating colonial history!

#DrinkingStudies #HistoryOfAlcohol #HistoryOfAbsinthe #History #Schweiz #Switzerland #Suisse

This image shows a dark teal background, with the cover of the book "The Hour of Absinthe: A Cultural History of France's Most Notorious Drink" in the middle. The cover of the book consists of the 1896 advert for "Absinthe Robette" by the French artist Henri Privat-Livemont, showing a curly-haired white woman, only wearing a see through veil over her body, holding up a a glass of absinthe with both hands, in front of a decorative green background.

Around the book cover, it says: Vernissage, 20th of March, 18:00.

These sketches were also astonishingly misogynist. This one here, by the French illustrator Joseph Hémard, has one man tell the other "I thought you bought Oxygénée Cusenier to regain your strength and your rights", with the other replying: "Yes, but she's the one who drinks it!"

#DrinkingStudies #Absinthe #Alcohol #Women #History #WomensHistory

This image shows a sketch, black on yellowish paper. The scene seems to be set in a restaurant. There is a table with a bottle and a glass in the centre of the image. In the background, there is a woman, wearing an apron, being attacked by another woman, who swings a chair at her. In front of the table, there are two elegantly clad men.

Below the image, it says, in French: "What, it's still your wife who wears the pants! I thought you bought Oxygénée Cusenier to regain your strength and your rights. - Yes, but she's the one who drinks it!"

This sketch was published in "Le Sourire", on the 27.02.1909, p. 10.

I would like to add that the presence of the monkey makes me extremely anxious, as they were so often used as racist caricatures of colonised populations. This seems to be a - giant! - Barbary macaque, which, together with the landscape & the Roman ruins, points to this being set in North Africa.

#DrinkingStudies #Racism #Colonialism #FrenchColonialism #Absinthe #Alcohol #History

Explorers in hot climates also depended on "Oxygénée Cusenier" according to these strange sketches. This one here, by the French illustrator Falco from 1909, shows an unnamed European explorer in a desert explaining that his endurance was due to this particular brand of absinthe!

#DrinkingStudies #History #Colonialism #Absinthe #Alcohol #FrenchColonialism

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