About Paris c. 1890 - 1920

This is Edward Penfield's poster for 'About Paris', a lithograph that captures a certain Parisian mystique through a potent symbolic language. Note the iconic windmill of the Moulin Rouge, a beacon of Parisian nightlife, rendered in a bold red that bleeds into our collective memory. But, observe the two black cats flanking it. Cats, often symbols of the occult and feminine wiles, here guard the entrance to the city's seductive secrets. Consider how ancient Egyptians revered cats, associating them with divinity and protection. Yet, in medieval Europe, they became emblems of witchcraft and bad luck. Here, Penfield revives their enigmatic charm, suggesting Paris as a place of both allure and concealed danger. These cats aren't merely decorative; they are gatekeepers to a city of dreams, echoing archetypal guardians found in myths and legends across cultures, forever binding us to the primal forces of attraction and fear.