MARIE MARVILLE AS “BERENGERE” : MOULIN ROUGE EQUESTRIAN ACT : EPR : RPPC 1908 For Sale

This beautiful and richly hand-tinted real photo postcard features the French actress known as Bérengère, who appears to be the celebrated performer Marie Marville. A source attributes this specific photograph to her equestrian act at the Moulin Rouge, one of the most dazzling attractions of Belle Époque Paris. During that era, it was common for actresses and cabaret performers to adopt stage names—\"Bérengère\" very likely being one such pseudonym used by Marville. Marville appears in profile, exuding grace and theatrical poise. Her platinum curls are elaborately styled, crowned with a striking pink satin ribbon entwined with delicate artificial flowers and leaves. Her expression is serene, even statuesque, giving the image the feel of a classical cameo portrait. She wears a richly embroidered off-the-shoulder costume in red, gold, and green diamond and checkered patterns—possibly part of her costume for her equestrian performance. The elegance and detail reflect the opulence of the Moulin Rouge\'s stagecraft during this golden era of Parisian entertainment. This postcard was published by EPR (a noted French publisher of celebrity postcards) and is card number 144, part of a larger series. On the reverse, the card was postmarked in 1908 from Renaix, France.Renaix, known in Dutch as Ronse, is a city located in East Flanders, Belgium, near the linguistic border with the French-speaking region of Wallonia. It lies at the foot of the Flemish Ardennes, a hilly area known for its scenic beauty and textile heritage. The stampon this postcard is a green 5 centimes French Semeuse (\"sower\") issue—an iconic allegorical image used widely in French postage starting in the early 1900s. The message, written in French cursive, is brief and social in tone. Here is a translation (names redacted or approximated as needed due to legibility):\"Dear friend, I am sending you a lovely memory from the Moulin Rouge. I hope you are doing well. Best wishes, [Name].” This real photo portrait postard is in very good condition (see scans).