L’Eau des Sirenes

&quotIn the 1880’s poster art was just emerging from the drabness of letterpress announcements showing little but black type. Cheret’s airy images were so startlingly bright and fresh on the walls of Paris that they attracted admirers and his sprightly women the appellation ‘Cherettes.’ It is not too far fetched to say that they were instrumental in ushering in the golden age of posters&#8230In this censored version of Cheret’s barebreasted sirens sing the praises of a haircolouring product named in their honour (Mermaid Water). Apparently the mermaid quartet was too alluring for the Paris censors who were just beginning their efforts at this time. They refused to accept the poster until Cheret lengthened the hair to partly cover the offending flesh &quot (Gold p.7)